Emir's Digimon Adventure Collection
by Nonamenonamenonameplease
Summary: The first two seasons left many matters unresolved, namely the heroes' love lives and the mistreatment of Daisuke and Veemon at the hands of their teammates and the former's own family. May differ from actual series ending. Contains Taiora, Daikari, Jyoumi, and Kenyako, with hints of Junato and Takethrine.
1. Depression Part 1

Note: This series actually started with a one-shot named Be Yourself. Essentially, it centered around Jun and her attempts to woo Yamato before she realized that all she had to do was, well, be herself. It explained why the two are now dating from here on out. I deleted it because the premise was too simple and had been done too many times over in other media. Without further ado, indulge.

A tiny figure slinked about through a barren wasteland completely devoid of sunlight, searching for something. It had only been two hours since her brethren got physically disconnected and sent back to the Digital World at the same time. Yes indeed, the figure turned out to be a female Kuramon. One way or another, she'd find a means to retaliate against those who dealt her brothers and sisters great harm. What were the names again? The digidestined…Omnimon…Imperialdramon Paladin Mode…ooh, how those names stung her mind!

Kuramon's little escapade took her all the way to what remained of Ken's former domicile near an ocean when he was the Digimon Emperor. Five of the younger core digidestined had been renowned for handling him and Kimeramon with help from Wormmon. Practically no creature dared near this place up until now with its dire reputation; it had survived events from the day Paildramon first appeared though continued falling into disrepair. Little by little, Kuramon found a way inside and found herself surprised to bump into another Fresh-level Digimon, a male Jyarimon. He'd apparently made himself a nifty little home in one of the abandoned sectors, away from everything and everyone else. The two eyed each other carefully and conversed in that perplexing manner shared by all Fresh Digimon. "Kura, Kura…"

"Jyari, Jyari…" Kuramon instantly learned that Jyarimon had the same motives as her, hence his isolation from all.

Both formed a partnership in the following weeks. Although damaged mostly by Kimeramon and Magnamon, the hideout's machinery was salvageable. The two caught on quickly to functions and so managed teleporting at least three remaining Control Spires (the remainder had long since been eliminated) and a small concentration of Black Gears to convert into a mysterious liquid nutrient along with the hideout's small yet forgotten supply of Dark Rings and Dark Spirals. Although they absorbed it like nothing, the resulting strength expended digivolution. "Kura."

"Jyari." With failure at hand, Kuramon and Jyarimon skimmed the Digital World on the computer screens' maps for answers. The one remaining Destiny Stone and the replacements would be of no use. The Harmonious Ones sure wouldn't just hand over their Digi-Cores. No more crests or Dark Spores, either. A nearby whirlpool from which a hideous voice apparently called out intrigued them.

Jyarimon held Kuramon's tentacles via mouth while she flew them both in the whirlpool's direction. Once close enough, however, neither could resist a force that pulled them into the water or for that matter the circular currents dragging them under. After their brief dip, the two got flung into an empty space where a flock of miniature Devidramon swarmed around Devimon's persistent weak form. Nobody else ever heard from the latter again after Ken relieved him of his arms for Kimeramon's making. Only the head, wings, a major portion of the torso, and half of the right leg remained, but it all too began dissipating. It was this abomination's voice the two newcomers heard.

Seeing nothing to lose, Jyarimon and Kuramon attached onto where Devimon's left arm belonged and started absorbing him. The jerk's face pained while he turned into a black fog. "How...humiliating..." were his last words. The resulting sub-vortex vacuumed the Devidramon too, triggering a chain reaction considered routine for all Digimon. The newcomers became shadows themselves as their bodies expanded into higher, larger, more complex physiques. In turn, the whirlpool filled in leaving nothing more than a satisfied pair in a massive bubble. What used to be Kuramon now resembled a scorpion but only with six legs. The former Jyarimon looked like a dragon with half a snake's body, skeletal armor, and shrouded bat wings. The pair shook each other's front paws in congratulation.

Come on already, Daisuke thought while staring up at the clock. Daisuke, Takeru, and Hikari's class was busy taking a final exam before school ended for the summer. Having finished early, the leader of the younger digidestined silently expressed his impatience at waiting. But the wait paid off as everyone else soon finished up. At the sound of the bell, everyone else quickly rushed out eager to spend summer vacation however they wished. Only Daisuke lacked the same enthusiasm; before he left, the teacher made a quick interruption suggesting peculiarity. "You finished that exam awfully quick, young man."

"Yep. Maybe you should make it more challenging next time. Anyways, I better not keep summer vacation waiting." And with that, Daisuke promptly advanced straight outside the building. Every single student at Odaiba Elementary cleared out their desks and lockers earlier that week, so nobody needed to bring home what he or she no longer stored at school. Daisuke's experiences in the Digital World certainly helped him and the others grow up a major percent, or he would've publicly embarrassed himself right about now. Takeru, Miyako, and Iori stood diagonally across the main entrance, patiently waiting. "Hey, everyone," he greeted.

"Hello to you too, Daisuke," Iori answered, "So, what's up with the delay? Aren't you excited about summer vacation?" The others might've suspected the redhead boy's secret, internal anguish, if he only didn't conceal it quite nicely.

"Oh, I'm excited. But, I do recall the teacher holding me back momentarily just seconds ago."

"Yeah, that's just you," Miyako remarked, "You always knew how to make a good impression on the school staff." Everyone except Daisuke laughed at that.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, change of subject," Takeru temporarily sympathized, "I'm not just saying this, Daisuke: Instead of you jealous over me, it's vice versa now. I honestly didn't think you'd pull this exam off so efficiently."

"Well, I can't say I had no help from the most reliable sources around. By the way, where's Hikari?"

"Why, still lovesick?" Iori said, invoking more laughter.

"Nice joke. Now tell me again, where's Hikari?"

"Oh, lighten up," Miyako replied, "We're just teasing, that's all. If you must know, she rushed home early to help Taichi plan things out."

"What for?" Daisuke asked.

"Koushiro received his umpteenth message from Gennai," Iori explained, he and the others having managed to turn serious momentarily, "More evil Megas are on the loose in the Digital World."

"Another group of Dark Masters, I take it?"

"Far from it," Takeru added, "There are only two of them, but they're still pretty powerful. The first one is an old enemy, Armageddemon. Female, if you will. The second is an unstoppable nightmare dragon, Megidramon."

"These two are of course in cahoots, and they call themselves the Doomsday Duo," Miyako put in, "But they're also looking for a special object: something that resembles an expansion card, codenamed the Revelation Panel." Then, for another teaser, the spectacled girl added, "Want me to go over and tell her you said 'hi'?"

"Ha ha, very funny. I'll meet her along with the rest of you at their apartment tomorrow." Daisuke split off from the three and strolled off into a separate detour to his apartment building, leaving the trio perplexed. What's eating him? Takeru thought.

What indeed was eating Daisuke? If the other digidestined only knew how to see through his diminishing comedic shell, they'd know for sure. Things just hadn't improved for him not long after the Armageddemon incident. Everyone by now knew the Japan digidestined through and through. Daisuke once more played the fool against his will. Not a day passed without someone bringing up his most humiliating moments, namely the first Control Spire they destroyed and ExVeemon's debut. What was he good for anymore? Laughs? Being a complete idiot? Why bother include him if so? Not only that, but hardly anyone listened to him whether or not he had a good idea about something.

To make it harder, his parents and Jun were still no help. When were they ever? Daisuke's walk home only worsened his depression. Two younger kids came across his path, stared at him temporarily, and continued on. "Who was that?" the girl asked.

"Some loser," the boy answered, "Just ignore him."

Daisuke stared back at them until they disappeared out of sight. Turning around, he couldn't quickly enough catch himself bumping into a girl older than him. Convoyed by another girl and a boy, she didn't take kindly to this accident. "One side, loser," the girl said as she pushed him onto the ground. She and her friends continued on as if nothing happened. After picking himself up and dusting off, Daisuke briefly glared at the spiteful three.

"What's their problem?" He quickly stuck his tongue out and ran home before they might have a chance to attack him further. Daisuke eventually calmed down upon entering through the front door. Due to his current drift, he returned the favor of no greeting. Only Jun felt energetic enough to break the cycle the minute both siblings crossed paths.

"Hello, loser. Back for lunch?"

"Oh, give me a rest. Don't tell me you're like everyone else I've met on the street two minutes ago."

"Hey, you know what they say: A little sibling rivalry builds character. But anyways, I've got more important things to do right now." As Jun headed out the door, she boasted opposite her brother in giving and receiving enthusiasm. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! I'm off to Yamato's house!"

"Hurry back soon!" Mrs. Motomiya answered. Daisuke shook his head in exasperation as he went into his room and lay down on his bed. The goggled boy couldn't help feeling jealous of Jun, how she finally managed to score Yamato's heart. Being her brother, Daisuke noticed firsthand Jun's vain attempts involving those dumb commercials to make herself more attractive to the Bearer of Friendship. Once again, after Armageddemon's rampage, Yamato had inexplicably 'broken up' with Sora possibly due to lack of love. Actually, he himself admitted to Jun that it was all a bunch of silly rumors in the first place. But need she keep rubbing it in her brother's face?

Daisuke always did harbor the biggest crush on Hikari even now, but he knew well that they could never be together (let alone with anyone at this rate). Not the way he desired it anyhow. Many always noted how cute a couple Hikari and Takeru would eventually end up as. It might've been loads of silly rumors just like with Sora and Yamato, but Daisuke still hadn't any means to prove it. The rest of the day ended without much fuss.

Veemon couldn't give him a better greeting than anyone else since he and the other Digimon decided to go back to the Digital World recently so that everyone could focus more on their studies. Everybody visited on weekends including the Yagami siblings, which Azulongmon and Gennai graciously allowed. Because of this, everyone with a D-3 now had to re-energize it so as to keep up with the times. The school would be off-limits to all during the next few months.

But, trouble came again the next day as Jun couldn't tear away from barging into Daisuke's room and giving a rude awakening. School already ended; therefore, he felt no need to set his alarm clock. Jun took advantage of this by shaking him wildly like a package on mail delivery. "Okay, okay! I'm up! What's the idea?"

The teenage female giggled at her own antic. "I just couldn't resist, you know? Anyways, once you're all set, Mom and Dad say it's your turn to make breakfast this morning."

"If you say so." Daisuke certainly slept well the night before, but even that didn't cure his ever-present low mood today. After the usual routine of a morning shower, getting dressed, and so forth, he soon made his way into the kitchen where Jun patiently waited. Upon choosing to cook up scramble eggs and cracking the first one into the pan, the really sad part came into play when the two's parents entered.

"Good morning, Jun," Mrs. Motomiya said.

"Good morning, Mom."

"You sleep well last night, dear?" Mr. Motomiya added.

"Yep."

"And you, Daisuke?" The boy calmly and deeply sighed at his mother's question. Why didn't her cheerful mood reach him? "Did you sleep well?"

"Sure," was the reply. During the time between now and his first venture into the Digital World, Daisuke's cooking skills improved dramatically. But just like everybody else, his family considered it a miracle that he didn't toast the entire house. Plus, the parents focused another breakfast conversation practically all on Jun. Her success at landing a sweetheart made her younger brother feel even more left out.

"So Jun, whatcha planning to do this summer?" Mr. asked, "That is, besides going out with Yamato and stuff?"

"Eh, I might get a summer job. Other than that, I really don't know." Little else stirred except for the clanging of silverware against enamel as each family member ate to his or her heart's content. Near the meal's end, Mrs. Motomiya finally noticed her son's docile state and miraculously managed to include him in the conversation.

"Say, Daisuke. You've been pretty quiet this whole time. What're you're plans?"

"Funny," came a dry reply, "I didn't think anyone cared that I existed."

"Yeah, you always did have that sarcastic edge to ya," Jun remarked.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Mr. Motomiya chimed, "Young man, you've skipped cleaning your room for the third time. You best get to work soon." This time, Daisuke needed not hold anything against anyone: His father actually made a good point for once.

Such an urge came into play once again two hours later, when Jun barged into his room the second time that day, just as Daisuke finished wrapping the cord back around the vacuum cleaner. "Hey, loser. Finished with yer room yet?"

"I really wish you'd quit calling me that. And yes, I'm finished. Why do you ask?"

"I got a call from Taichi just now. He wants you to come over to his house right now. Sounded awfully impatient." And with that, Jun promptly left the room. Daisuke felt an old sense of despondency from remembering the news yesterday about the Doomsday Duo.

"Great. Duty calls, and here I am standing around like a complete moron."

So Daisuke immediately hurried out of his apartment building. Nothing else further delayed his short trip to the Yagami sub-residence, thankfully. Taichi and Hikari's parents must've been out for the day, as Daisuke promptly entered through an unlocked apartment door. Continually advancing towards Taichi's room (the Yagami siblings had long since acquired their own rooms after the fight between Omnimon and Diaboromon), Daisuke stopped just as quickly at the sound of everyone else's voices within. The other digidestined except Ken conveyed impatient tones. "I can't understand it," Jyou said, "How long could a simple stroll from one apartment to another take? I'm amazed he made it to the airport in time to meet up with Mimi."

"Come to think of it, Ken isn't here, either," Sora added.

"He probably has a better reason anyhow, unlike some people," Miyako suggested, "For all we know, Daisuke could be working up a boastful speech for when he actually does something right."

"Huh," Yamato commented, "No denying that."

"Not only that, but he's always trying to prove he's better than me," Takeru said, "I guess that explains the bruises on his face from the basketball during those times in gym class." This assertion stirred up laughs as usual.

"Or the humiliation from having Veemon digivolve to the Champion level before the rest of our partners," Iori added.

"I guess we'll never understand him," Koushiro shrugged.

Daisuke wouldn't know just how much Hikari secretly returned his feelings according to the annoyed mutuality. "And he clings to me too much: If something involves me, Daisuke automatically thinks he's on the guest list. You'd think all our experiences would've taught 'im by now."

While everyone talked behind Daisuke's back, the very redhead himself decided he'd heard enough and tiptoed as quietly as possible out to the apartment's ground floor. And when he reached ground level, Daisuke ran his quickest down the sidewalk holding back tears before he came across the same trio who pushed him aside the day earlier. "You again, huh?" the other girl said.

"I don't have time to play," Daisuke said, and he austerely walked around them instead of breaking through. The insincere trio could only shrug their shoulders in utter, simpleminded ignorance.

Back at the Yagami room, the other digidestined irrevocably gave up waiting. "This is taking too long," Hikari continued, "Think something happened to 'im?"

"Nah, he's always like this," Mimi answered, "But I can't take this waiting around much longer. Let's just go on ahead and let 'im catch up."

"Way ahead of you, Mimi," Miyako spoke up, her D-3 pointed at the computer screen, "Digi-Port open!" In an instance, the kids got sucked through the screen in the blink of an eye. At that same time, Daisuke used a school computers. He'd been allowed inside not only due to his duties, but also because the school wouldn't close for another three days. Question was, how might the Doomsday Duo handle this conflict?


	2. Depression Part 2

"We've been waiting for you," Biyomon said as the other digidestined arrived in the Digital World. Both sides had only been separated for approximately two months' time, but it still seemed like ages since the kids and their Digimon had last been together. No doubt about it, schooling or whatever in either world really knew how to take its toll on everyone around. However, a certain wicked pair allowed everyone merely a smidgen of instance to embrace. And to save the kids trouble, their Digimon already knew what was going on.

"Biyomon," Sora greeted while hugging, "It's been too long."

"Tell me about it," Agumon agreed, "Azulongmon already explained the crisis to us, just like Gennai did with you."

"Then you know where we can find the Revelation Panel," Jyou said.

"Yep!" Gomamon said, "We hear it's in a village by the name of Scantron, just a mile east of here."

"Unfortunately, Daisuke acted like his 'brainy' self today, so he won't join us for a while," Hikari informed, "Then again, neither will Ken."

"Yeah, Veemon's the same," Gatomon put in, "He and Daisuke are practically two of a kind, if you ask me. As for Wormmon, he had to go meet Ken at another screen."

"Oh well," Taichi shrugged, "Let's just get that expansion card of a relic before Armageddemon and Megidramon beat us to it."

"Say, that reminds me," Iori said as the group proceeded towards the aforementioned village, "I'm not much for computer jargon anymore. What exactly is an expansion card?"

"Also called an expansion board, it's a printed circuit board inserted into a computer to add features or capability," Koushiro defined.

"You know, all of a sudden I feel we're being watched," Palmon noted.

About six miles directly across from the group of twenty, Daisuke emerged before Veemon out of the bond they shared. "Hello, Daisuke. You feeling alright?" At that, the human half released his tears and accepted his partner's hug. "Don't worry. I think I understand."

"You do?"

"Uh huh." Once Daisuke dried the tears and set Veemon down, both headed straight towards the same village discussing their troubles involving everyone else. It turns out the blue Digimon felt the same humiliation mostly about his digivolution to ExVeemon after he and Wormmon became Imperialdramon Paladin Mode. Actually, Wormmon seemed like the only other individual besides Daisuke whom considered a true friend; ever-presently analogous to the second goggle boy and Ken. "I don't get it anymore, Daisuke. Why're we always on everybody's bad side? Whatever happened to all the good times?"

"Because everyone hates our guts. We're always messing things up, making fools out of ourselves…I just didn't know how fake this so-called friendship was until I heard them talking. So much for 'good times'."

"I know how you feel. How many times have we gotten everyone's bacon outta the fire? Yet, they still treat us like…like…"

"Like trash, after everything we've done. In fact, one primary reason I've ever acted so strange is because I like Hikari more than a friend. It's not just some silly crush and definitely no laughing matter." Daisuke started choking up and softened his voice. "But I guess it's true what they say: Dreams are meant to be broken."

"Well, at least you got a family. I got nobody."

"No, Veemon. Even my own family cares less. I'm just…an invisible loser with nothing to look to." Then, in an instant, the two outcasts dashed away their feelings and put on an emotional mask of both determination and isolation. "We're going to track down both the Doomsday Duo and the Revelation Panel and solve this problem without anyone else's help."

"I'm with you as always, Daisuke! But what if we run into the others?"

"We'll just go along with their assumptions about us, if you know what I mean."

"I just don't understand this," Megidramon commented, watching the kids and their Digimon. Just as Palmon feared, the Doomsday Duo kept a watchful eye on all twenty-four heroes. Armageddemon stared at the floating screen with a bigger hatred than ever. She already experienced that particular horror months back and was more than willing to tear the load of them to pieces. Megidramon must've experienced a similar horror himself (but not quite as large), for he shared in his partner's hatred. But the only way the Doomsday Duo felt they could ever guarantee their own victory was to retrieve the Revelation Panel and crush the digidestined all in one fell swoop. (A/N: Throughout the rest of this story, I'm referring to both kids and Digimon as digidestined.) It seems the old base – now back to its full glory – contained enough room for the pair's giant figures.

"Indeed," Armageddemon threw in, "We're the only source of trouble at present, so they can't be split up due to any Digimon assaults." The screen illustrated a topographic map with dots representing the digidestined. A bunch of white dots accompanied by one each of pink, green, yellow, and red stood on one section. A blue dot directly across of course represented the forsaken fraction. A black dot at the uppermost section stood adjacent to both opposing parties. The Doomsday Duo almost had a good idea of what was going on.

"All these years, and they're still broken up?" Megidramon continued, "You'd think they would've matured by now."

"You mean this has happened before?"

"Correct. Of course, only two from the younger half existed as digidestined back then. Three of the older ones couldn't make it in time to take a crack at the second big guy, possibly due to internal strife."

"Interesting development, I must admit. But if the new stones are as special as their predecessors, we can't afford to slip this one up."

"Agreed. In the meantime, let's just watch how things play out. Who can say, those welts might even do some groundwork for us."

Back out on the field, close to noon, the main group made their way into Scantron, that one particular village where the Digimon half said the Revelation Panel could be found. But for the moment, they'd all have to temporarily put the mission on hold as hunger rang high. "I'm famished," Sora said, "Where are we having lunch?"

"And for that matter, when and where are a certain four gonna meet up with us?" Tentomon added.

"Speaking of which…" Patamon said, pointing towards a familiar pair. All eyes turned toward who else but Daisuke and Veemon. The two, having arrived thirteen minutes earlier, waved back as the group trudged on up to them. Still, just as Daisuke planned, he and Veemon put on yet another façade so that nobody could locate the slightest tinge of their anguish. This also helped them deal with any more smart remarks the others might throw out.

"Hey, everybody!" Veemon greeted, "Did we miss anything?"

"Only the reunion," Gabumon answered.

"What's you guys' deal anymore?" Miyako questioned, "How come you didn't meet up with us sooner? Especially you, Daisuke."

"I had to clean my room, and Veemon needed to exercise for the upcoming battle," Daisuke replied.

"Typical," Mimi playfully shrugged, "But I guess we wouldn't have Daisuke and Veemon any other way."

Naturally, everyone except those two laughed; they merely smiled. "Okay, enough wisecracks," Taichi said, "Let's go eat."

The façade lasted nicely as everybody entered the nearest restaurant. It was somewhat small, so only a certain corner would be available to them. But when offered extra seats from elsewhere, Daisuke and Veemon declined and chose to sit at that particular table. This restaurant offered a buffet, eliminating need for menus or waiting. Yet it wasn't until halfway into their meals that the others finally noticed the pair…ignoring them completely? "That's just eerie," Hawkmon said, "You'd think they were acting stuck up or otherwise. Almost like you, Miyako."

"Hey!" his female partner responded, "I resent that!"

"Still, it really makes you wonder," Jyou stated.

"Well, whatever's going on, I can't think about it right now," Gatomon said, hopping down off the seat, "If you'll excuse me, I must use the restroom." As the digital feline disappeared through a doorway into another hall, the conversation returned back to the separate pair. What could be wrong? Sheesh, talk about thickheaded! The two might've expressed their feelings openly, but after what Daisuke heard the group say about him hours ago combined with his and Veemon's current drift, they felt the group was much too ignorant to understand them anyhow. Caught up completely in this entire mess, one might think that they all forgot completely about Ken and Wormmon.

"I tell you, those two are quieter than snails in a rhubarb patch," Armadillomon commented.

"That's putting it mildly," Yamato agreed, "Maybe one of us should say something to them."

"Allow me," Hikari offered, promptly walking over. Upon viewing her advancement, Daisuke insured his firm behavior by disabling his romantic feelings. Everybody else most certainly noted how well a conversation Hikari carried on with Daisuke without being subject to his goofiness. "Hey, Daisuke. You and Veemon enjoying your meals?"

"Yep," Daisuke answered, "We sure are."

"Well, why not come and sit with the rest of us?"

"That's okay," Veemon said, "We don't wanna crowd anyone, so we'll just stay right here."

"You won't crowd us. We'd hate for you two to sit all alone."

"Well, let's put it this way," Daisuke said, "We're also thinking about the battle against the Doomsday Duo later on. We need a space to ourselves away from the regular crowd, if you know what I mean."

Hikari actually bought the excuse though something was wrong with both their eyes. "Oh, okay. But if you change your minds, we've still got plenty of room." After she returned, Daisuke nodded to Veemon so they'd eat faster. Anyone who glimpsed didn't consider it important.

"So what's their story?" Tentomon asked.

"They say they're thinking about the future fight against the Doomsday Duo," was the reply.

"Thinking, huh?" Takeru smirked, "That's a first."

Hikari lightly elbowed him. "Oh, come on. Be nice."

"Hey, everyone!" a returning Gatomon called, "You won't believe what I just found!" She displayed in her paw something of a red marble.

"What is it?" Sora asked.

"Another prized possession like my tail ring, which I wish I would've been more careful with sooner. Zhuqiaomon the Bird Guardian gave this to me a week before while his prison weakened. It resembles a Digi-Core and can be used on multiple Digimon."

"Did it belong to Zhuqiaomon?" Mimi asked.

"Well, yes. But it was an extra, so he gave it to me. Now if only I knew how it works."

"Extras?" Biyomon wondered, "Azulongmon never mentioned anything about him or his associates making extra Digi-Cores."

Soon after lunch, the others found Daisuke and Veemon waiting patiently outside. A change of plans had secretly come to mind: They would locate the Revelation Panel with the group after all. "What took you so long?" Daisuke asked.

"Well, we are a lot more patient in eating our meals," Iori stated.

"Alright, let's not go there again," Taichi said, preventing a quarrel, "Back to the mission. Where here is the Revelation Panel again?"

"Right in front of us," Agumon pointed out. Across the street the digidestined came, entering through the doorway of what appeared to be an antique shop. Going back to her old self, only Mimi wasn't too pleased.

"What a lot of old and useless stuff."

"Well, you know what they say: Old news is good news," Hawkmon said. The group walked up to the front desk, and Jyou tapped the bell. The clerk was a pink dog-like dragon with curled yet straight brown-and-magenta-striped antlers sharing Gatomon's blue eyes.

"Can you kids be helped?"

"Magnadramon?" Gatomon said.

"Yes, that's me. Now how can I help you?"

"Gatomon, you know her?" Mimi wondered.

"We all do," Palmon replied, "Magnadramon is one of select, exceptionally powerful angelic Digimon. Her attacks are Fire Tornado, Dragon Fire, and Hermit Fog. She comes and goes as she pleases, granting protection to all those who accompany her."

"Another of my relatives, too," Gatomon continued, "But I never expected her to be twice the size of Hikari's backpack at its fullest."

"Well, many Digimon can change their size by will regardless of environment if you think about it," Magnadramon explained, "I got this way while traversing dimensional limbo sometime in the past three months detecting some rupture."

"Most likely the Doomsday Duo's fault," Koushiro assumed.

Magnadramon changed the subject. "I'll ask again: What can I do for you kids today?"

"We're looking for an expansion card," Jyou explained, "It's the size of a breadbox, flat, and colored brown. The Revelation Panel?"

"Ah, by far the rarest antique in this part of the Digital World. I'd normally give it away for a bundle, but since you are the digidestined, I'll make an exception. I'm sure I stuck it around here somewhere. Can you give me a moment?"

"Uh, sure," Sora said. Magnadramon searched the item out while the digidestined explored the shop. Who could say, they probably might even come across it first before the storekeeper herself.

"Rupture, huh?" Iori noted, "I wonder why Gennai or anyone never told us?"

"The Doomsday Duo must be greater professionals than we realize," Gabumon said.

Daisuke and Veemon were especially amazed at the shop itself yet still refused to let some newfound intrigue for either circumstance cloud their emotional isolation. "Wow," the latter commented, "Who would've thought antiques looked so awesome?"

"The Harmonious Ones," the former answered, "Hm?" The redhead's eyes darted straight towards a large white vase containing a flat, rectangular article stuck inside diagonally. A closer inspection revealed its exterior nearly as identical as…the Revelation Panel! Could this be it? Daisuke resolved to display it to everybody else, just to make sure. "Hey, everyone! Look what I found!"

"Daisuke, I don't think you're allowed to touch that thing," Yamato said, "It is priceless."

"Hold on a second," Magnadramon said, reentering the room to accept the vase. She tugged on the relic in a vain attempt to remove it from its 'storage'. "Yep. This is the Revelation Panel, alright." To everybody's shock, the pink dragon smashed the vase on the floor.

"Why'dja do that?" Gomamon asked.

"Unless you failed to notice, that was the only way I could get it out. Besides, I never liked that piece of junk anyhow."

"Couldn't you simply use your magic powers or somethin'?" Armadillomon suggested.

"The rupture did more than weaken me: It reduced my powers to a fraction of their prior glory.

Taichi picked the Revelation Panel up and tucked it underneath his arm. "That's too bad. But thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Great job, Daisuke," Miyako said, "I didn't think you could pull this off so easily."

"Well, you must not know me very well," Daisuke replied, playing along. The spectacled girl just smiled and rolled her eyes.

Back at the base, the Doomsday Duo was only half pleased at this new development. At the same second Magnadramon broke her own vase, some sort of radar-jamming barrier must've gotten eradicated. After more than a month of searching for the Revelation Panel in frustration, Megidramon and Armageddemon at last discovered its location. An orange light dwarfed the same colorful and white dots representing the digidestined on the main screen. "How uncharacteristically poignant," Armageddemon commented, "The Revelation Panel existed within Scantron this whole time, and we considered it an insignificant location for much of anything."

"As I said before, they've already lent us their assistance," Megidramon stated, "Gift-wrapping the Panel. I neither know nor care how."

"It's time we took action," Armageddemon decided. As every screen turned off, both Megas either crawled or slithered along the floor. "It's high time we gave the digidestined a small taste of our power. Let's also include the former Digimon Emperor."

"Ready when you are." Right then and there, the pair breathed bright yellow-orange sparkles out of their mouths. Those sparkles took on countless, unusual forms indistinguishable from the surrounding darkness. Armageddemon and Megidramon felt it too soon to openly challenge the digidestined themselves, just like Daisuke and Veemon couldn't yet split away from everybody else. That's why underlings existed.


	3. Depression Part 3

"How much further, Ken?" Wormmon asked. Having finished lunch at a Cherrymon grove, Ken and Wormmon continued trudging towards the group just like Daisuke and Veemon did earlier. The former had been late because modifying a D-3 influenced by the Dark Ocean required a more isolated recharging session. Forgetting to do so the day before didn't help matters, either. Wormmon must've foreseen this if he instinctively waited in that particular spot where his human partner showed up.

Ken glanced at the map on his D-3. He could've had Wormmon digivolve to Stingmon and make for a shorter trip, but walking quite a distance just felt good. His next words hinted a change of policy, however. "Well, according to my digivice, we've only gone about an inch. Maybe…" But they encountered trouble.

"Assassin's Bolt!" A blast of black lightning sent Wormmon flying for a loop.

As would any responsible human partner, Ken ran over to assist his segmented friend. "Wormmon! Are you alright?"

The larval Digimon stood back up and shook his head. "What a rush! I remember feeling that sensation the time I touched a Thundermon's head, and I'm not talking about one made from a Control Spire."

"You're too kind," came a nasty voice. Walking up on the scene came a black Elecmon copy with yellow eyes.

"ViElecmon, a Virus version of Elecmon, "Wormmon explained, "His Tail Dusk, Jamming Thunder, and Assassin's Bolt hurt like crazy."

"Nice," ViElecmon retorted, "And it's certainly an honor to be in the former Digimon Emperor's presence."

"For your information, I longer go by that title," Ken shot back, "The name is Ken, and don't ever forget it." All at once, Wormmon and ViElecmon went into an all-out brawl together. But for some mysterious reason, the latter didn't really care if this little bit only lasted a short time.

"Tail Dusk!"

"Sticky Net!" In an instant, Wormmon had his opponent stuck flat down on the ground. "Ken, look out!" The longhaired boy looked to the right and saw three more ViElecmon pounce forward, ready to put the bite on him if Wormmon never reacted quickly enough. "Silk Thread!" Three silk castings lay near Ken's feet. However, the actual trouble started when a horde of about fifteen more ViElecmon crawled into view and untangled their first four brethren. Now it was nineteen to two.

"We don't have time for this," Ken protested, fighting back, "Just let us pass through."

"Oh, you've plenty," one ViElecmon responded, "Our commanders the Doomsday Duo wanted to give you a small piece of their minds."

"I might've smelled a stinky lunk or more," Wormmon retorted. And so the fight resumed with the ViElecmon horde crawling all over the pair. Ken shook them all off his arms, legs, and back while using a nearby fallen branch for a weapon. Wormmon found himself underneath a whole pile of ViElecmon. The caterpillar Digimon saw one sneak away just then and attempt to open fire on Ken. Unfortunately for the meanie, his assault combined with Ken's glowing D-3 proved to be a fatal mistake.

"Jamming Thunder!"

"Wormmon, digivolve to…Stingmon!" At last, the ViElecmon all stood no chance. As soon as Ken laid eyes on the oncoming strike, Stingmon intercepted with a bright flash of his own from his forehead. "Moon Shooter!" When Ken stepped aside, all ViElecmon turned their attention exclusively towards the Champion-level insect Digimon.

"Assassin's Bolt!"

"Jamming Thunder!"

"Tail Dusk!"

However, Stingmon broke through them using an elongated needle from his wrist. "Spiking Strike!" That attack alone rendered the ViElecmon into data. Still, someone else's stage debut clearly told this fight was far from over.

A human-like cat Digimon having two tails; purple face and chest; and yellow thighs with dark-brown spots floated down from the sky and stood in front of them both. She wasted not a minute speaking in an alluring yet boastful voice. "Very good; I salute you both. A boy and his bug eliminating an entire squad of midnight-colored hares. But then again, they're only Rookies."

"Who are you?" Ken asked, "Did the Doomsday Duo send you as well?"

"What do you think? I'm Persiamon, and I'm at the Ultimate level. If my Helter Skelter attack doesn't give you a headache, then my Vampire Dance shall freeze you in place."

"I don't care if you are one level higher!" Stingmon said, "I'll take you out in a flash!"

While Ken and Stingmon contended with Persiamon, it wouldn't be long before the other digidestined gained their own problems as well. It started when they pondered how to handle the relic now in their possession. "Alright, no more time to waste," Taichi announced, "Let's destroy the Revelation Panel once and for all."

"Rather than advisable," Magnadramon said, "You can destroy the Revelation Panel's powers, but not the actual object itself. A human and their Digimon partner must venture inside to render it useless for all time."

"How can we do that?" Iori asked.

"Unfortunately, you're on your own with this one." The dragon then floated back inside the shop, leaving the digidestined to ponder once more. However, a pair of sinister figures wouldn't allow them any time for deciphering this new mystery. Hikari noticed them first.

"Hey, what's that?" As the figures drew closer, the Bearer of Light immediately got her answer. One revealed itself as a humanoid fox dressed in a wizard's costume and silhouetted in black light. The second was a purple and white cobra wielding an axe in its tail. As the pair visibly explained to the digidestined, they shared the same objectives as Persiamon and the ViElecmon horde did towards Ken and Stingmon.

"That fox is Doumon," Armadillomon pointed out, "She's one mean spellcaster, she is. Be wary about her Demon Gate Escape and Spell Prohibition Paper attacks. They're used mainly for defense so she can use fists and feet."

"And the snake is Sandiramon," Agumon added, "His Venom Axe will turn you into a shish kebob if you survive his Kurishuna."

"You're very smart," Doumon said, "It's too bad your smarts will be the death of you."

"Whadda you two want?" Takeru asked.

"The Doomsday Duo sent us to soften you up," Sandiramon answered, "They'll steal your chocolate bar themselves. Either way."

"Forget it," Yamato said, "You want it so badly, try taking it."

"Fine by us," Doumon said, "Demon Gate Escape!" Purple fog turned the landscape opaque while teleporting both troublemakers to various points around. Just like Wormmon, the Rookies digivolved to Champion in order to protect their human partners as well as fend off the assailants. Doumon and Sandiramon were enough competition for them despite the obvious struggling.

"Lightning Paw!" Gatomon attempted a blow on Sandiramon but got whacked down by his tail.

Angemon fared no better himself. "Angel Rod!"

"Venom Axe!" The cobra Digimon diced his angelic opponent's weapon into two.

"Subzero Ice Fang!"

"Harpoon Torpedo!"

"Meteor Wing!"

"Vee Laser!"

"Spell Prohibition Paper!" Doumon stuck one piece of paper with written symbols on each Digimon's forehead, paralyzing the eleven.

"What's...going...on?" Togemon cried.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Daisuke shot, running towards Doumon.

"Daisuke, wait!" Takeru insisted.

"Demon Gate Escape!" Another purple fog covered the scene, bringing the digidestined through the countless mini-portals as well. When it cleared, Sandiramon had wrapped around the human half in a meandering pattern, squeezing their life out. Doumon in the meantime assaulted the others with continuous kicks, punches, and whacks of her brush.

"Nice going, Daisuke!" Sora scolded.

"This would've happened either way!" was the annoyed response.

"Darn it!" Miyako said, "This is no way to fight! They must DNA-digivolve to beat them!"

"We're trying, but we're paralyzed!" Aquilamon called.

At the same time, Stingmon fared no better himself against Persiamon. The two-tailed feline received every physical wallop indifferently and countered it quite nicely. In other words, both were evenly matched. "Spiking Strike!" Unfortunately, Persiamon dodged Stingmon's attack yet again in a back flip. Once she kicked her insect opponent ten feet away, the cat stood up before Ken who kept the stick for defense.

"Just try messing with me, flea bag."

"Done. Vampire Dance!" Persiamon leapt about flailing her arms until Ken dropped the stick and glowed a bright purple.

"Ken!" a recovered, charging Stingmon called, "I'm on my way!"

"Helter Skelter!" Now Persiamon flailed her hips and belly. Stingmon stopped to watch her multiply into several that surrounded and confused him. Too many duplicates barred any chances of discovering the real one, letting her imitate Doumon.

"Ouch! Oof! Ken!"

"I can't...move," said partner choked, "Where are Daisuke and ExVeemon...when you need them?"

"We gotta...do something," Mimi gagged, "Can you younger kids...armor-digivolve your partners...instead?"

"Wouldn't do us...much good...anyway," Hikari answered.

"Hey...look!" Taichi noted. Drawing Sandiramon's attention as well, a red glow not only dispersed the fog and papers but also knocked Doumon into her serpentine associate without harming the human children, thereby freeing them. Gatomon's Guardian-given Digi-Core floated into the smaller cat's paws before she tossed it as high as possible. All momentum immediately ceased as everybody's eyes saw the marble-sized sphere glow a deep crimson. Expanding to the size of a medicine ball, it spun quicker than a merry-go-round and fired twelve red-colored gleams up towards the mesosphere, which immediately rained down on both battlefields.

"What in blazes?" Persiamon took a moment to see a gleam separate from the other eleven and touch down on Ken's D-3. It not only amputated the purple glow, but all energy shots initiated just the break the digidestined had been searching for.

"Greymon, digivolve to… MetalGreymon!"

"Birdramon, digivolve to… Garudamon!"

"ExVeemon, digivolve to… Paildramon!"

"Aquilamon, digivolve to… Silphymon!"

"Ankylomon, digivolve to… Shakkoumon!"

"Togemon, digivolve to… Lillymon!"

"Stingmon, digivolve to… Dinobeemon!" Sandiramon and Doumon temporarily retreated. All of the kids except Daisuke, Miyako, Iori, and Ken swallowed this news whole. These four's Digimon partners never digivolved to Ultimate on their own before, so their astonishment was only natural. Plus, Stingmon hadn't ever had a chance to digivolve to something besides Paildramon even once.

"What happened?" Iori asked, "Did our Digimon get cloned?"

"We weren't cloned!" Silphymon called, "It's really us!"

"I don't believe what I'm seeing!" Persiamon declared.

"Me neither," Ken agreed, "Is this another Paildramon?"

"Nope! I'm Dinobeemon, the true Ultimate form of Stingmon. I have a smaller temper but a larger wrath. I'll leave my opponents recoiling with my Masquerade and Irritant Buzz attacks."

"I guess those are their Ultimate forms either way," Jyou figured.

"And we know just what to do!" Shakkoumon said, "Kachina Bombs!" Doumon and Sandiramon stood no chance this time. It seemed that whenever they managed fending off one Ultimate, three more took his or her place. Sheesh, talk about turning the tides!

"Venom Axe!"

"Excalibur!" Sandiramon got his axe shattered in another attempt to break MagnaAngemon's weapon, thereby losing one attack. Wrapping the digidestined Digimon up in one package wouldn't work out since they disallowed it to happen a second time.

"Wing Blade!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Giga Blaster!"

"Demon Gate Escape!" Experience rather than level usually determined a fight's outcome in past situations. Mimi and Palmon's past trials made that alone pretty clear. Togemon easily toppled Monzaemon in Toy Town, though it could've been due to something like how badly that Black Gear sapped him of his consciousness. But it took the Ultimate form Lillymon to settle DarkTyrannomon down, and he was a Champion. Today, it seemed level determined this chain of fights. Not only did Doumon's papers get blown into gravel-size pieces, but the shock waves sent her reeling.

"I got me a bug to squash!" Persiamon said, "Helter Skelter!"

"Masquerade!" Dinobeemon danced and zoomed about just like his opponent until they both appeared as streaks of smeared colors against the sky. Though, this charade of exchanging physical blows for the umpteenth time merely tired Persiamon rather than make her forfeit. Still, even when she paused for a rest, Dinobeemon continued his quick flight. Persiamon only shook her head in false empathy.

"I think you need to stop and smell the roses. Vampire Dance!" But just like Sandiramon and Doumon, the evil feline found herself in a sticky situation of heavy proportions. Zooming all over the scene nearly everlastingly, Dinobeemon refused to let himself be subject to the same trap. "What's going on? Why don't you freeze?"

"Sorry, but it'll take more than your wiles to put me down!"

Back in Scantron, while the fight distracted the other kids, Daisuke took this opportunity to communicate to Paildramon via D-3. And fortunately, the battle sounds made his voice low enough that nobody could hear it. "Paildramon, don't forget the plans we talked about earlier. As soon as you're finished here, let's blow this joint quicker than you can say 'uniformitarianism'." The heavily armored dragon briefly nodded in acknowledgement before returning back to battle for a finishing move.

"Desperado Blaster!"

"Static Force!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Celestial Arrow!" At the same time Angewomon borrowed everyone else's powers for her strongest attack, Dinobeemon unleashed a barrage of sound waves that sent Persiamon packing with Sandiramon and Doumon. To everyone's surprise, these enemies distorted into fading shadows rather than crumble into data.

"What?" all except Daisuke and Paildramon gasped, the two in question held back only momentarily.

"Irritant Buzz!" The two-tailed cat last remembered clutching her ears in pain before seeing oblivion.

"So they weren't real Digimon," Ken observed, "Hmmm..."

Upon attaining victory, the de-digivolved Digimon received much kudos from the Scantron inhabitants. Gatomon found her marble amongst some pebbles on a conveniently set-up table, having dropped back down to terra firma after unleashing its hidden powers. Miyako and Iori especially couldn't be happier with their partners since only DNA digivolution comprised their Ultimate-level ascension. "A job well done, Armadillomon. Even though I'm the youngest human member here, I never thought I'd live to see it. But I probably sound like my grandpa now."

"Not at all, Iori. I don't mind."

"Wait a minute," Koushiro noted, "There are only twenty of us presently here. Where are Veemon and Daisuke?" Hearing this news, the digidestined gave their audience exasperated looks. The pair must've taken advantage of the luminescence from Angewomon's attack and fled the scene. Daisuke especially knew how to keep quiet about many things, so for what reason would he and Veemon ditch everybody like that?

"What's with those two anymore?" Palmon wondered, "They must be pretty desperate to get at the Doomsday Duo if they took off so quickly. Don't they know there's a time and place for everything?"

"Knowing Veemon, he and Daisuke might be blowing off steam for some reason, judging by how they acted at lunch," Biyomon guessed.

"The least they could've done was tell us first," Mimi stated, "Not to sound like a broken record, but all this experience for nothing?"

"Tell me about it," Takeru agreed, "Oh well, we can still track them down on our digivices. They shouldn't've gotten too far."


	4. Depression Part 4

It took the group's largest and best flyers – Kabuterimon, Aquilamon, and Birdramon – to carry the others such a lengthy distance out of town. Fortunately, Paildramon had only flown 37 miles away with Daisuke in tow, so it wouldn't be more trouble tracking them down than running a lap around an entire planet. Concentrating almost solely on their so-called friends, the group hadn't any time to worry about the Doomsday Duo making off with the Revelation Panel. Deriving from her own crush on Ken, only Miyako began worrying as to what took him and Wormmon so long to show up. "It's been over two hours now. Whaddaya suppose is taking up Ken and Wormmon's sweet time?"

"You got me," Takeru answered.

"Oh, they'll catch up to us," Aquilamon said, "They always makes a last-minute entrance and crushing blow just to impress everyone."

Even though he couldn't see it, Kabuterimon took notice of a certain look in his partner's eyes. "Hey, Koushiro, you've been studying that silicon slab for hours. What's up?"

"Magnadramon said that one of us and our partner Digimon must venture inside the Revelation Panel in order to at least stop it. If that's what we must do, then it seems I'm the only one who can figure this puzzle out."

"Something wrong, Hikari?" Gatomon muttered, noting her partner's spooked look.

"Hm? Oh, Gatomon. Sorry."

"No harm done. Why'd you space out?"

"Did you notice the looks on Daisuke and Veemon's faces back in the restaurant? They looked so...so...numb. In fact, Daisuke almost appeared like he'd been crying beforehand."

"Afraid not. I was busy finding Zhuqiaomon's gift."

"I see a pair of familiar shapes below," Birdramon announced.

"Must be the runaways," Sora figured, "Let's take it down, Birdramon!"

As the three Champions unloaded their weight and de-digivolved back to Rookie, the unsurprised Veemon and Daisuke shot the group quick glances yet kept their backs turned. "Oh, you made it," the latter said, eyeing his D-Terminal, "Good. What took you?"

"Lighten up, Daisuke," Miyako responded, "You two left pretty quickly. And what're you upset at us for?"

"Yeah, you should save your energy for the Doomsday Duo," Gomamon added.

"All part of the job," Daisuke continued, "Leaders gotta be on top of these things."

"Would it kill the two of you to show some manners and face us while talking?" Mimi demanded.

"Can't now. We're busy." Taichi stepped forward to swipe Daisuke's D-Terminal using a free hand while Yamato spun him back by the shoulder. Gabumon followed suit with Veemon. "What? I said we're busy."

"Cut it out!" Veemon demanded.

"Sorry, Veemon," Gabumon replied, "This is for your own good."

"You've been acting very stuck-up lately," Yamato said, "This isn't funny anymore. Wanna share it?"

A blank face with half-closed eyes upon whom all others observed looked ready to explode from Veemon's standpoint. Such abuse the outcasts endured no matter what the occasion. News had caught on that Jun would prefer someone like Takeru for a younger brother. It was all about the 'perfect' ones. Yamato and Takeru this, Yamato and Takeru that. Even if either one or their partners suggested something downright lousy which may as well kill them all, nobody would give a toss. If Daisuke or Veemon did the same, nothing good. The whole thing must've been some big TV show whose producers deserved having their heads bumped same as whoever thought cruel humor was a good idea. Surely no real souls laughed at the real-life trials suffered by civil rights' leaders, former slaves, or so forth. Oh, but who did Daisuke think he was fooling, so he thought. They were all the same. Nobody else cared nor would they ever.

At this rate, the forces of darkness would have some new pawns. If not mockery, then the state of being chewed out. Daisuke might never forgive Yamato for siding with his sister like that; the older boy deserved her crazed-admirer abuse. Gatomon noticed how Hikari tried hiding how spooked she felt. The younger human boy brushed the older one's arm off; leapt aside to create distance and in the process swiped his gadgets back; and returned both to his pockets while Veemon joined him. "By the way, they're already here."

"They?" Iori wondered.

"Destiny Destroyer!" An orange flare instantly transformed the vicinity into a battlefield. In a panic to protect themselves from harm, the digidestined scrambled all over before stumbling vainly. The Doomsday Duo saw enough today and finally decided to take matters into their own claws. Since they weren't in sight yet, this allowed the digidestined enough time for a speedy recovery.

"Veemon, are you all right?" Daisuke asked.

"I think so. But I'll feel better once I get my hands on the creep responsible!"

"Hey, where's the Revelation Panel?" Taichi wondered. The assault not only knocked him down but also made him drop said relic.

"There it is!" Armadillomon noticed, "I'll get it!" Unfortunately, another figure swooped down quicker than the eye could see and beat Armadillomon to the punch after a mere eight paces. Not only that, but the hard-shelled mammal also got knocked for a loop.

"Nuts!" Miyako complained, "So close, and yet so far."

"I hope my attack didn't hurt you too badly," Armageddemon taunted as she tromped onto the scene, "Oh, wait: Yes, I do!"

"The Revelation Panel belongs to us!" Megidramon announced, landing next to his partner-in-crime. As the relic enlarged to the size of an apartment door, both Megas placed a finger on it and concentrated hard. Not even Koushiro could figure out why the Doomsday Duo glowed yellow along with the Revelation Panel. Were they absorbing the object's power? Empowering it? Whatever the reason, Megidramon tossed it far up into the exosphere afterward. And whatever happened, the Doomsday Duo faced the digidestined without skepticism.

"We all know about Armageddemon," Jyou said, "But what can we say about Megidramon?"

"A dragon Digimon toughie," Biyomon answered, "Be especially wary of his Dragon Howling and Megid Flame attacks."

"Long time, no see!" Agumon smarted off to Armageddemon, "We turned you into scorpion soup months ago, and we'll do it again!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. Your friends only split me apart from my brothers and sisters, but it still hurt. Now I'm back and worse than ever!"

"I'm amazed nobody pointed it out to you by now," Mimi said, "We're the heroes; we're supposed to mess you up."

"Except you're still missing something, young lady. Unlike the others, I actually learned from my past experiences. Simply dispersing into a bunch of Kuramon, cloning oneself, and reincarnation into a stronger form all aren't enough. You need to guarantee yourselves victory over the enemy; you need weeks of planning things out in just the right degree. And in rare cases, opposition proves far more helpful than originally thought, hence how much we can't thank you fools enough for delivering us the Revelation Panel."

"We did not retrieve it for you!" Palmon stated.

"And what's your sob story?" Takeru asked Megidramon.

"I once worked for Machinedramon," was the reply, "I won't say in what form, though. After you defeated Apocalymon, I wandered around by my lonesome until I moved into the abandoned home base your pal the former Digimon Emperor used. To make a long story short, there was still plenty of Devimon left over even after Kimeramon's debut. It was his remnant plus some Devidramon that allowed Armageddemon and myself to warp-digivolve from our respective forms of Kuramon and Jyarimon."

Everyone shuddered deeply, but none felt stronger about Devimon than Takeru or Patamon. What a foe. It took Patamon's very life as Angemon to eliminate the demonic jerk; neither he nor his partner were ever the same again. Imagine their shock trailing Ken to the whirlpool only to find Devimon more or less still alive. The group did recall Ken mention something about Devimon giving him a warning like 'Beware the darkness' or other. Not that Ken's former persona cared until Kimeramon's rebellion. It figured everyone couldn't lose him. "Wait," Hikari assumed, "So you're saying Devimon and these Black Gears are still out there?"

"Funny you should mention that despite you not being there when it happened," Armageddemon answered, "But I can see you're missing the point altogether. Unlike that stupid gestalt, we felt fresh enough to bypass that already weak fool Devimon's consciousness. We could care less about such pitiful creatures anyway. Close enough, Bearer Of Light. Maybe the liquid nutrients we obtained from that small collection of Black Gears, three remaining Control Spires, and the base's forgotten Dark Rings and Dark Spirals helped some."

"Leftovers?" Koushiro asked, "The Black Gears alone?"

"Yeah, you didn't get everything," Megidramon added, "Don't get me wrong, children, I'm not necessarily avenging the Dark Masters or anything. It's just that there's no way those of you present then could've defeated even Myotismon mainly without your crests."

"How is this even possible?" Miyako questioned, "We younger folks were there when the base went bye-bye. In fact, we personally finished it off."

"Megidramon kept it standing with his will alone when he first arrived there, though just barely," Armageddemon explained, "My arrival prevented any physical or mental collapses; that is, we did it together. This World Of Darkness is an intriguing deal, how it left residues. Like an invisible caldera of rainwater." More shudders got replaced by stupor when they saw the Duo nuzzle against each other lovingly.

"And what about the Revelation Panel?" Jyou picked up, "What's it got to do with anything?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," the Duo taunted.

"I've heard enough!" Veemon yelled, racing forward, "Veemon, warp-digivolve to…Paildramon!" But as soon as the miniature dragon reached his Ultimate form, he instantaneously disappeared into thin air. Both the digidestined and the Doomsday Duo knew not what to make of this particular occurrence. The latter in fact scoffed at what seemed as a quick escape.

"So much for heroics," Megidramon sneered, "Looks like that dope isn't the hotshot savior everyone knew."

"I'm afraid to agree with them," Iori chimed, "Where's Paildramon gone off to?"

"Take a closer look," Daisuke encouraged. To everybody's surprise, Paildramon landed a punch on Armageddemon's face. An instant battle came into play when Zudomon, Angewomon, MetalGreymon, Silphymon, and Garudamon narrowly stopped Megidramon's jaws from snapping shut on their supposed comrade. Speaking of which, after Armageddemon tossed Paildramon aside, she found herself up against Shakkoumon, Lillymon, MegaKabuterimon, and WereGarurumon.

MagnaAngemon attempted helping Paildramon up. "Are you alright?"

The dragon smacked away the angel's hand. "I don't need anybody's help! Especially yours, King Arthur!" Paildramon flew straight back up to the sky, leaving MagnaAngemon irked.

"Well, excuse me." The other humans too looked surprised again and finally noticed Daisuke's distant figure but said nothing yet.

"Wing Blade!" Garudamon's signature attack landed on Megidramon's head without so much as even confusing him.

"You call that hot? Megid Flame!"

"Kachina Bombs!"

"Giga Blaster!" Shakkoumon and MetalGreymon's attacks counteracted the fiery stream quite nicely. With much experience on their side this time, the Digimon put up nothing less of a first-rate fight against the supposedly volatile Megas. Of course, it wouldn't last all day. One way or another, the Doomsday Duo had no intentions about letting mere Ultimates take them down.

"So far, so good," Takeru noted, "Think we got a straight chance for victory?"

"Sounds too good to be true," Koushiro said, "Only the combined strength of Omnimon and Imperialdramon Paladin Mode were enough to take down Armageddemon. Plus, if Megidramon is as powerful as originally claimed, then our Digimon are in big trouble."

"What about Angewomon's Digi-Core?" Iori suggested, "Could it help them all digivolve to Mega?"

"I'll ask her," Hikari said, lifting up her D-3 to her mouth, "Excuse me, Angewomon. Have you got a second to spare?"

"Make it quick, Hikari!" Angewomon called back, "I'm awfully busy!"

"Sorry to interrupt, but Iori just had a brainstorm. Can your Digi-Core help you all digivolve to your Mega forms?"

"Well, it can't bring Omnimon or Imperialdramon Paladin Mode back. But I think…"

"You've got more important things to worry about right now!" Megidramon interrupted, smacking the female angel with his tail. Her marble went flying into Armageddemon's clutches, of who took time out for inspection.

"Get away from that this instant!" Lillymon demanded, flying towards the pseudo-scorpion at high speed accompanied by MegaKabuterimon and WereGarurumon. But after Armageddemon's Full Scale Attack sent them sprawling, she crushed the so-labeled Digi-Core much to everyone's shock.

"Oh no!" Mimi cried, "We've lost our advantage!"

"Whatever happens, they've got to stay at the Ultimate level for as long as possible!" Taichi added. Suddenly, between exchanging blows, Paildramon reappeared directly above the other Digimon and broke the excitement, though not the following silence.

"Excuse me!"

Both good and bad Digimon stared up at a seemingly motionless armored dragon until Silphymon implied the first convincing statement. "What're you waiting for? Sorry to sound like Miyako, but don't make me waste energy coming up there and dragging you down!"

"Watch it, Silphymon!" Miyako scolded.

Something was indeed wrong according to all but Daisuke, the Duo, and Paildramon himself. The last individual's guns charged to a point where all digivices blinked like hazard lights. Tremors even coursed through every Digimon's veins as silhouetted energy waves heralded the upcoming tactic. "Desperado Blaster!" Paildramon unleashed a hyper barrage of tiny blasts upon every Digimon below him akin to multiple volcanic firestorms. Torn ground threatened to blot out sunlight and blind everyone. Sonic booms reached in all directions for ten miles. He'd make sure the Doomsday Duo suffered a miserable, humiliating defeat...even if it meant hurting both opposing factions! Between constant dodging, the others got a hint of what business their supposed comrade meant.

"Argh!" the Duo cried.

"Hey!" the other Digimon supplemented.

"Whew!" Garudamon gasped, "What's he think he's doing?"

"Looks to me like he's seriously cruisin' for a bruisin'!" WereGarurumon commented. While Daisuke stared on in downright indifference (pretty much just as unaffected by his partner's rampage), the other kids decided they'd seen enough.

"Daisuke, this is crazy!" Yamato said, "You're going about this the wrong way again!"

"Hah," Daisuke retorted, "As if you really cared."

"Call him off this instant!" Sora threw in.

"Lemme think about it… Nah."

Once more, back in the fight, Megidramon decided to put an end to the 'shower'. "Dragon Howling!" A stream of sound waves dispersed the onslaught and almost knocked Paildramon out of the sky. Instead, he shot through it with a spear under one arm.

"Sting Strike!" However, the red dragon grabbed his blue-and-green opponent's hand and tossed him in front of the other Digimon's feet with debris settling. Naturally, they griped about it.

"Paildramon, what were you thinking?" MetalGreymon stated, "You could've killed the rest of us in seconds flat!"

"Boo hoo!" the dragon retorted before getting back into action.

By now, the other humans needed confront Daisuke before it worsened. His face – seen by few present; cheeks reddened by the millisecond; bags under his eyes appearing to swell – resembled a ticking time bomb. "Daisuke, what's the meaning of this?" Hikari demanded.

"Of all the times to joke around, you both picked by far the worst!" Taichi snarled.

"Yeah, you'll steal the Doomsday Duo's job at this rate!" Miyako cried.

"And would you please look at us while we're talking to you, you jerk?" Mimi repeated.

"Don't just stand there slack-jawed!" Iori chimed, "Tell us why yer both acting this way!"

Daisuke's head abruptly jerked their direction. "TAKE A WILD GUESS!"

Time practically slowed for all there including the Digimon knew, with only Paildramon retaining composure (even the Duo felt curious). The other humans were taken aback by Daisuke's newfound rage. It sounded nothing like the Daisuke they knew, but it served them right. One might think that he could've spilled his guts earlier so as to avoid a breakup in the Digital World's other best defenses, the first being Gennai and the Guardians. Lulling himself of course proved somewhat difficult; what gave life itself any right to press a raw deal on the poor boy? If he had to snap, this was that time. "Daisuke..." Sora spoke.

"Must calm down," Daisuke continued, "Must not corrupt Paildramon. Why am I doing this, you ask? Gee, I don't know. I was only thinking of all your feelings. I didn't want to mess up like always and get my face bruised by something basketball-sized…just like in gym class."

Those last five words helped everyone else realize their hapless mistake at the apartment. "Wait a minute," Hikari spoke, "Did you overhear those things we said about you earlier today, before we came here?"

"'Boast about doing something right.' 'Humiliation from digivolving Veemon to Champion.' Is that all we're good for? Are we just the group's useless laughingstocks? You think all those experiences never taught me a thing?"

"But...but..." Miyako stuttered.

"We were just upset," Jyou protested.

"Lies!" The others recoiled again. But he calmed down once more and looked on dejectedly at the ground, new tears standing. "After all I've done, I'm still the same loser I always was. Both worlds know it's true. I got off to a terrible start. Paildramon in the form of ExVeemon did, too. No one listens to either of us even now. We're only good for messing things up."

"So...you don't wanna be friends anymore?" Koushiro said.

"Friends? That's what we used to think. Since when do friends backstab one another? Since when were our feelings funny? Why bring up the past all of a sudden? …Forget it. Serves us right." Daisuke removed his goggles and flung them right in front of the others' feet for Taichi to pick up. No further distress outlined this charade, as they'd all digested a fair share.

"Paildramon, do you feel the same way towards us?" Angewomon asked, motioning to herself and the other good Digimon.

"Daisuke covered it all. I told you it wasn't funny."

"Gee, how touching," Armageddemon mocked, "Destiny Destroyer!"

"Dragon Howling!"

"Cable Catcher!"

Paildramon fought the Doomsday Duo as if still stuck at Champion level whereas the other Ultimates lost nearly all enthusiasm. Out of all the kids who felt an inch tall by now, only Hikari who looked worse off replicated the estranged redhead's energy. If he only hadn't turned his back again, they'd find what indicated anything but a chance at success in life. No more false optimism, no glimmer to be found; only the gloom from shadowed figures with either spiteful or derisive faces (the same climates fueling most present-day TV sitcoms) filled his vision. But they could tell he also resumed crying. "We're defeating the Doomsday Duo ourselves. If you're smart, you'll stay out of our way."

"Daisuke..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't face any of you right now."

Still fending off the Ultimates, the Doomsday Duo found themselves caught between enacting their next move and thinking the infighting over. Through telepathy, the evil pair spoke quietly enough so as not to draw unwanted psychic attention. -I feel the Revelation Panel's return,- Armageddemon informed, -You thinking the same as me?-

-It's a gamble, but the two loners will be perfect,- Megidramon confirmed, "Megid Flame!" Another fire chain caused the digidestined to scramble about in various directions. Momentum ceased as all eyes darted towards a pair of brown-colored rays zooming straight down towards them. Armageddemon's next sentence spelled doom for a certain pair still standing.

"The capture has begun! Two will be ours!" Uh oh! Now the digidestined knew the dire truth. This fight had been a scheming setup: a distraction enabling the Revelation Panel to ensnare someone at random. Needless to say, Megidramon's last attack left everyone else temporarily disoriented.

"You said you didn't need the stupid expansion card!" Zudomon commented.

"Gullible as usual," Armageddemon replied, "We told a lie."

Heaven's Charm!" Unfortunately, Angewomon's counterattack bounced right off the capture rays of which appeared to aim for her and Hikari. Not the case; that dishonor belonged to Paildramon and Daisuke whose alienation contributed to their helplessness. The others finally traded their confusion for shock.

"Yes!" Megidramon cheered, "Score one for the Doomsday Duo!" Like a spray gun put in reverse, the Revelation Panel absorbed the unfortunate pair in the blink of an eye. The digidestined regrouped to watch it long enough glow the same yellow hue as before.

"No, no, no!" Hikari stammered, "You got the wrong ones!"

Yeah, it's us you want!" Angewomon added, "Not them!"

"Oh, please," Armageddemon retorted, "How dumb do you think we are? They were our targets the whole time, not you." Not even Koushiro studied this one enough beforehand. "We needed a human and his or her partner as two conduits at once. This little maneuver makes your pain all the more pleasant. Aside from that earlier outburst, it's pretty amazing just how far the conflict reached."

"That's none of your business!" Miyako retorted, "What more would you know about our friends anyway?"

"We created a link between ourselves and the Revelation Panel right when we took it earlier," Megidramon sneered, "After incarcerating its victims, the Panel immediately loads their memories onto its hard drive. Nothing sweeter than infighting amongst heroes. To think everyone depends on you?" He eyed MagnaAngemon and Angewomon. "And you two call yerselves angels."

"Quite laughable, really," Armageddemon chimed, "You're able to topple the Dark Masters, my namesake, and the like yet can't accomplish as simple a task as respecting two of your own. In our years, we never could've guessed you morons' true colors."

"Guess this!" MegaKabuterimon yelled, "Horn Buster!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Static Force!" Miyako's last yell and the attacks following it indicated the group would try making up for their actions no matter how vain. But the Doomsday Duo barely moved a muscle as the Revelation Panel took over for them. Gray smoke emanated from the relic and dispersed the attacks effortlessly. After the expansion card went inside Megidramon's waist armor, the smoke took on a rather featureless form that if drawn on paper boasted an oval body with what appeared as a Snimon head and SkullGreymon arms and legs. What did this mean for the digidestined? And where was the twelfth pair?


	5. Depression Part 5

Silence dominated the entire battlefield at that very second. Having their supposed friends absorbed by a dangerous talisman and trapped inside a featureless entity, the digidestined had limited options what with the Digi-Core obliterated. Odds meant nothing to the smirking Doomsday Duo. They also made sure the following conversation lasted shorter than a television commercial. "What is that thing?" Sora cried.

"Good question," Armageddemon crooned, "Care to rescue your 'friends' from such a horrible monster?" In response, the entity obeyed orders zipping about with its own onslaught against the Ultimates. Naturally, they retaliated in defense and to break Daisuke and Paildramon free. Yet those who faced the Dark Masters related this to battling Puppetmon's animate house.

"Astro Laser!"

"Flower Wrath!"

"Mega Claw!" Talk about repeated history! A humanoid abode the size of Mt. Fuji, and none of the Digimon's attacks could take it down. With a connection to its instigator Puppetmon, the house created quite a headache for the digidestined until MetalGarurumon zapped the puny Dark Master into oblivion, thereby severing the connection and instilling a structural collapse on the wooded scene. It was pretty obvious that the Doomsday Duo reused this idea at present.

"Argh!" WereGarurumon complained, "Not a scratch!"

"When will you ever learn?" Megidramon retorted, "Our pawns clearly aren't going to let backstabbers like yourselves hurt them in the least. It's your fault they're trapped like this after all."

"He's right," MagnaAngemon said, "I can feel Paildramon and Daisuke's anger and frustration towards us." Reluctant to agree with enemies, the Ultimates finally stopped their efforts and regrouped. In turn, the entity followed suit by halting in place almost like a statue.

"Well, that went well," Jyou commented sarcastically, "Now what?"

"Ironic," Armageddemon taunted, "To be destroyed by the very same ones who brought you victory whenever your lives depended on it: the very people who most of all taught you and those Dark Spore brats to never give up on your dreams. What a joke. No wonder this emotional construct won't allow you to scratch it or us. So basically, in your present condition, surrender sounds awfully promising."

Taichi maintained a firm head though unconvinced himself of his following words. "Wrong as usual. And you're really bothering us. Whatever it takes, our Digimon will find a way to flatten you."

"And you call yourselves mighty!" Garudamon added, "Maybe this whole incident has weakened you both so much that you need someone to fight for you, even if you whipped us earlier!"

"Yeah!" the others shouted.

"So thick-headed," Megidramon answered dryly, "You'd make Gennai and the Harmonious Ones chuckle. Well, spare us the false bravado. Entity, let it all out. We've bigger things on our paws."

The entity unleashed a frustrated roar to start things off, appearing to change sizes simultaneously for each opponent. Ten poor Ultimates received a major beating which the kids felt emotionally at first. So many awful memories bottled up inside now made everyone pay the price:

_Yamato's plan to free Gotsumon had won out like more to follow. "Don't you have any telepathy?" Daisuke spoke._

"_Telepathy?" Takeru wondered._

"_Don't you mean...delicacy?" Iori corrected. Laughter followed._

BAM! "Oof!" Shakkoumon cried, an elbow administered to his head.

"Mmm!" Iori collapsed to his knees, head bruised just the same.

"Iori!" the other children stammered.

_On the same day, Yamato and the younger half minus Ken and Wormmon strolled uphill towards the particular region's Control Spire. Hearing that Takeru met Jun didn't sit well with Daisuke. "She has to say something bad about me to everyone she meets. It's because she dislikes everything about me. Well, I dislike her, too. It's kinda scary, huh?"_

_Then Yamato interceded. "Hey! Just what do you think you're saying?"_

"_What?" Daisuke exclaimed._

"_If you were my younger brother, I would never forgive you for what you just said." Takeru barely held his brother back._

POW! A punch sent WereGarurumon flying and Yamato too collapsing. "What's going on?" Sora cried.

"I feel...my Digimon's pain," Yamato groaned.

_Still on that same day, Hikari needed berate Daisuke as well. "I hate people who say bad things about their own sister...hate...hate...I hate you."_

BANG! Hikari coughed and held her gut the moment Angewomon received a hit in the same region. "Acck...!"

"Hikari!" Taichi cried.

More memories flooded, of course. Some seemed long ago: Jyou nearly knocking Daisuke over that bridge; the constant laughter endured over ExVeemon's debut; and the laughter in following days. Others were more recent:

"_Want me to go over and tell her you said 'hi'?"_

"_Who was __that__?"_

"_Some loser."_

"_Hey, loser. Finished with yer room yet?"_

The memories just piled and sped up until all ten humans lay on their backs or stomachs absorbing their Digimon's torment. At some points, the entity's faceless head mutated something of an enraged expression which again wasn't quite a surprise. Every prior victory – Devimon; Etemon; Vademon; Myotismon; the Dark Masters; Sora and Yamato's mental caves; Arukenimon and Mummymon; so forth – all now reeked of hypocrisy. MagnaAngemon and Angewomon questioned their own digivolution chains.

Lillymon once attempted sneaking around to the departing Doomsday Duo but nonetheless failed. Speaking of which, the villains never got far anyway while leaving a trail of destruction behind. Megidramon lifted his snout towards the sky. "Look at me now, Machinedramon! Dark Masters indeed! They only defeated you 'cause you were stupid enough to fight them one by one! Those brats are the Digital World's defenders? Pathetic!"

Armageddemon followed suit. "Diaboromon! Every wash-up that ever faced the digidestined! You had it coming if you let weaklings push you around! Especially my predecessor, who doesn't deserve my name!"

Then a familiar voice interrupted. "Masquerade!" Good and evil heads (including the humans who mustered their remaining strength to stand back up) looked about in confusion wondering its origin. Suddenly, the entity felt its first pain as a blurry object zoomed by and left behind a major gash at the lower-left torso region. The digidestined knew the culprit's appearance meant higher chances for victory when it stopped for identification.

"That Digimon looks like Stingmon, or probably his Ultimate form," Koushiro noted, "But that means…"

"That means I'm here," Ken announced, marching up. "That's Dinobeemon, Stingmon's Ultimate form."

"Awesome," Takeru complimented, "Looks like another DNA digivolution of him and ExVeemon."

"Yeah, I was pretty surprised myself. It matters which Digimon becomes the dominant one. In both cases of Paildramon and Dinobeemon, I think we all know who goes to what."

"Thanks for the save, Ken," Iori said.

"You're my hero!" Miyako declared. But Ken backed away defiantly before she had a chance to hug. "Hey, what's the deal?"

"We already heard everything, so don't bother explaining. I should've guessed they'd be pushed too far according to the shock waves that nearly knocked us off-course. And frankly, I can't say I'm happy with anyone...or myself, for that matter."

"You don't hafta rub it in," Mimi commented.

"I can't believe my eyes!" Armageddemon said, "How can this be possible after all you stupid digidestined put them through?"

"That's what you get for ignoring certain details," Ken shot back, "You overlooked the former Digimon Emperor, as you and your cohorts labeled me. And don't ever call me that again."

"Yeah!" Dinobeemon added, "We never hurt them once! Even though we could've done better...but this big black figurine acts like it has nothing on me, so I can damage it as much as I want! Irritant Buzz!"

"Dragon Howling!"

"Destiny Destroyer!" The Doomsday Duo's counterattacks caused the main fight to resume again. Another distraction was exposed, however, as the entity took to the skies in order to avoid incurring further injury from Dinobeemon. Speaking of which, the bug Digimon attempted a pursuit if not for Armageddemon's tail ensnaring and holding him tightly in place. Somehow, the ten managed putting up a worthy enough fight to keep the pair from escaping again.

While everybody else contended with the Doomsday Duo, MagnaAngemon set to work freeing Dinobeemon. "I'll…get you…out of this yet. But, even though…we've bigger things…to worry about…how did you digivolve to Ultimate just now?"

"Ken and I got attacked earlier by ViElecmon and Persiamon. As Stingmon, I stood no chance until a blast of red light struck me. But that same blast never came through seconds back. We just badly needed to show up, and so I simply digivolved. That's when the Doomsday Duo's voices boomed over the land and sky."

"Good!" Shakkoumon commented, between general combat and overhearing the conversation, "The Digi-Core came through again!"

"What?" Ken wondered, "What about a Digi-Core?"

"Glad Shakkoumon brought it up," Hikari explained, "As Gatomon, Angewomon received a supposedly extra Digi-Core from Azulongmon's friend Zhuqiaomon. Unfortunately, Armageddemon took good care of it, if you know what I mean."

"But we won't stop until the two of you are done for and our friends are back to normal!" Zudomon stated, "So much for mind-reading! Who says level always determines a fight anyhow? Horn And Tusk!" Things took their next turn once a downpour abruptly began. Both sides were drenched, but the Doomsday Duo's health displayed no symptoms for pneumonia; neither did all that water slow them down. Save for Megidramon, any Digimon with pyrogenic attacks brawled fairly weakly. Even Zudomon found himself swamped.

"No, no!" WereGarurumon complained, "What's with this rain?"

"As long as the entity stays lodged in the atmosphere, so shall the rain fall," Armageddemon stated.

"And as we all know, the only way to win is if we reach through to Daisuke and Paildramon and apologize," Iori said, "But how? They're still upset with the rest of us."

"Except for Dinobeemon and me," Ken said, "But Dinobeemon's trapped. Darn, the Doomsday Duo sure planned this out well."

However, an unseen slim chance existed via Koushiro's next words. "Wait a second. Take a closer look. Where's Angewomon?"

"Hey, I don't see Hikari around, either!" Yamato noticed, "Where'd they sneak off to?"

"Up there!" Taichi pointed out. He must've said it loud enough for everyone to hear since the Digimon paused their fight long enough to see the aforementioned digidestined fly up towards the entity. Earlier, with the other kids distracted, Hikari communicated via D-3 to Angewomon and decided taking a chance to rescue the forlorn, captured pair. Somehow, the female angel managed sneaking away and grabbing her partner's hand while everyone else kept the Doomsday Duo busy. The entity currently healed its injury, something nobody yet noticed. Fortunately, Angewomon and Hikari completed the trip inside before it closed off. As always, the digidestined readily believed how well-suited the two girls were for this task whereas the Doomsday Duo mistakenly considered the opposite. Even when Armageddemon released him from her grip, Dinobeemon chose not to attack the entity any further.

"If anyone can break those guys free, it's those two gals," Miyako admitted.

"No matter," Megidramon said, "The Bearer of Light and her partner will be dead before they reach our pawns."

"I've heard enough!" MagnaAngemon replied, causing his teammates to back up, "Gate Of Destiny!" With a twirling motion of the male angel's sword, an interdimensional entrance materialized on the battlefield. For the first time all evening, the Doomsday Duo found what seemed as a worthy challenge, save Paildramon's all-out assault earlier.

Inside the entity, Hikari and Salamon made their way towards Daisuke and Paildramon in no particular direction. That's because the same colorless void from outside also dominated the inside, giving the impression of a virtual world. Plus, Angewomon had used up considerable energy between confronting the Doomsday Duo and flying into her present location, so she needed de-digivolve back into Salamon. At least twenty steps after their entry, the girls began feeling light-headed. "Hikari, do you feel it?"

"Yes, Salamon. These are the greatest depths of their feelings." As Megidramon and Armageddemon hinted after stealing the Revelation Panel, the estranged pair's influence must've rubbed off on the expansion card. Grayness dominated Hikari and Salamon's natural colors like they'd returned to the Dark Ocean. Just like months before, negative feelings attempted settling in their heads if the puppy Digimon didn't snap herself and her partner out of it.

"Hikari! Wake up!"

"Hm? What?" The brunette suddenly realized what horror her Digimon pointed out. "C'mon, Salamon! We've got friends to save!" The pair increased the speed of their walking pace, though it only goaded the darkness further. After eventually coming to a run, the girls soon found themselves crowded by tiny yet vicious figures all like Jyarimon and Kuramon joined at one side and all calling out creepily.

"Kura…Kura…"

"No!" Hikari said, "Stay away!"

"Jyari…Jyari…"

"No…trespassing…"

"Puppy Howling!" Salamon emitted a stream of sound waves similar to Megidramon's Dragon Howling attack, though not as large. It fended off the shadowy creatures temporarily, but they came back for more. Hikari picked up her partner and ran several more steps before the swarm surrounded them again. Originating from instincts, Salamon would gladly give her new opponents another helping despite the odds.

"You cannot…escape…or win. Surrender…"

Moving in on the girls proved to be a costly mistake for the shadows due to what occurred next. "LEAVE US ALONE!" Hikari shrieked, a red orb unpredictably emanating from her partner's backside. The swarm traded intimidation for the pair's fear time. Noticing this, the brunette could only wonder what the glow meant. Only Salamon had the answer. "Salamon, what's happening to you?"

"It's my Digi-Core, Hikari. Zhuqiaomon told it me that they're very special objects, and now I see why. The thing Armageddemon crushed was just a front; the real thing's inside me. But I couldn't've done it without your help."

"So it works the same way as the crests and Destiny Stones?"

"Yep. The fact that you wanna help your friends is more than enough reason. I know because we're partners." A determined Salamon faced the swarm. "Time for a nap." The orb's aura expanded with the swarm's retreat as it swallowed them all. The darkness and light around then began warping into a bright gray hue seconds afterward, accompanied by odd vibrations.

"Now what?"

"I couldn't say exactly." Salamon clung to Hikari's ankle in fear, wondering what would become of them. But just as quickly, everything began taking form. A lighted pathway formed before the pair's eyes, with darkness on both sides and a door at the very end. The orb and its glow faded away as curiosity and slight hope dominated. "Think Paildramon and Daisuke are in there?"

"Yes. They've just gotta be." Hikari and Salamon ran down the path and disappeared through the doorway, leaving everything else behind. Within this room played bad memories on walls, floor, and ceiling. Said boys convulsed on the floor with glowing orange eyes accompanying despondent expressions. The girls right away set about to break the hostages free from evil's grip. "Daisuke, can you hear me?"

"So despised," was the downcast reply.

"Close enough. Daisuke, it's me! Hikari!" Mockery directed towards the two boys now began affecting the two girls. Hikari fell to her knees and closed her ears while Salamon almost slumped. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Stop it!"

"You're just trying to trick me!" the real Daisuke screamed, "You're like everyone else!"

"No, I'm not! I'm sorry, and I wanna help you!"

"Everybody hates us," Paildramon added.

"No!" Salamon replied, "Nobody hates you!"

"Liar! Cable Catcher!" The puppy Digimon barely dodged wired claws which missed Hikari by several inches. The human girl in question knew how much she'd loved Daisuke as he did her ever since the second journey began. But realizing that the abuse she and Salamon helped contribute would never win her points in that department made her break down for a while.

Back on the outside, as MagnaAngemon's Gate Of Destiny magnetized the Doomsday Duo closer and closer, the other Ultimates unleashed a joint barrage to speed up victory. Drawing from their Piedmon and BlackWarGreymon experiences, the good Digimon knew mere suction alone wouldn't be enough. Needless to say, the Doomsday Duo stood their ground quite nicely despite being caught between a rock and a hard place. "Giga Blaster!"

"Electro Shocker!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"I can't believe they're just standing still after all those attacks!" Mimi commented, "What are they, statues?"

"Sorry to bring your fun to an end!" the Doomsday Duo taunted in unison. All of a sudden, a magnitude filled both air and sky. The radioactive symbol on Megidramon's chest glowed a fluorescent red while electric rings moved up and down around Armageddemon. As they roared, a different kind of flash instantly filled the scene. The dispersal of MagnaAngemon's signature attack turned out to be the least of the digidestined's worries; everybody felt something the younger half hadn't since Paildramon first took on BlackWarGreymon.

"Daisuke?" Hikari continued through her own tears, ignoring the projections, "I don't expect you to forgive me or the others, but I'll be the first to say how sorry I am for laughing at you behind your back this morning. In fact, words just can't describe my sorrow. Not to mention how much I've alienated you like everyone else."

"Oh, really? How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Well, Ken certainly remembers all the contributions you've made in your life as a digidestined. And through him, so do I. I must admit we've certainly taken you for granted."

"Is it true?" Paildramon asked Salamon.

"Knowing Hikari, yes. Has Dinobeemon ever done anything mean to you?"

"Well, not that I know of."

"You were the first to forgive Ken for his mistakes," Hikari continued, "Without you, he wouldn't even be part of our team. I don't know what's come over us lately or ever. And to be honest, I really do return your feelings for me. Mine isn't a mere crush, either; we both have problems in that area. I'm sorry for playing with yours all those times. But if you can't trust me, at least trust your heart."

Having chosen such well-spoken words, Daisuke and Paildramon bore surprised facial expressions. The orange in both their eyes started dimming. "Hi-...Hikari?" the former said.

Painful electrical charges from the negativity fought back for control. "Fight it, guys!" Salamon exclaimed, "You can do it!"

However, the Doomsday Duo wouldn't allow her and Hikari to finish the extra mission. Satisfied over their work of turning the landscape into a scarred wasteland, alongside blowing their opponents to kingdom come, Armageddemon and Megidramon noticed a disturbance with the stormy weather: Rain switched off and on like a lamp. "The rain can't make up its mind," Megidramon said, "Our pawns are failing."

"Leave it to me. Full Scale Attack!" More of Armageddemon's missiles rose up and tore the entity to shreds. Everything nearly went blank for Hikari for ten seconds. But when her vision straightened out again, she found herself absolutely intact. Next to her stood Salamon and Daisuke, and Paildramon held the trio in the palm of his hand. Hikari knew not what to make of Daisuke's smile until he spoke his next sentence.

"Apology accepted." In return, Hikari smiled back in aspiration. All that remained now was to find the others and a means for the Digimon to digivolve to their Mega forms. Thankfully, the solution lay closer than anybody realized


	6. Depression Part 6

Note: Well, I'm back with another chapter to boot. I understand how impatient you people must've felt just waiting for me to continue on, because I feel the same. I tell you, college is a PAIN.

Back on the battlefield once more, something began moving underneath a thin coat of mud and some plant debris. The digidestined mustered what remained of their physical strength just to stand back up. The Doomsday Duo's last assault left everybody bruised and dirty, alongside having been stricken ill from the rain. And if that wasn't bad enough, the Digimon half had also de-digivolved back into Rookies. "Whew!" Takeru gasped, "Anybody get the license plate on that truck?"

"That does it," Patamon decided, "I don't deserve my angel forms."

Takeru hugged his partner. "Please don't say that, Patamon."

"It's bad enough we're muddy and messy," Miyako added, preceding a sneeze, "Now we got a cold, too?"

"I thought we'd seen the last of BlackWarGreymon's bad side," Armadillomon commented. However, recovery lasted only seconds before the Doomsday Duo closed in on them. Everybody recoiled as acidic saliva dripped near their feet from Megidramon's jowls.

"Gross!" Koushiro stated, "Watch where you drool!"

"This battle's left me hungry," Armageddemon crooned, "I wonder what's on the menu tonight?"

"I like my digidestined extra crunchy!" Megidramon put in.

Menu? Crunchy? Did the Doomsday Duo's last sentences come out right or what? The digidestined simply couldn't believe their ears! "Wait a second," Palmon said, "You're gonna eat us?"

"What a way to go!" Gomamon groaned, "The blue plate special for the Doomsday Duo!" However, as Megidramon and Armageddemon's heads neared more, a familiar voice called out a familiar attack.

"Desperado Blaster!" Both dragon and pseudo-scorpion felt a slight disturbance on their backs, though the blow didn't quite hurt them. The digidestined took advantage of this distraction so as to gather more strength for escape until they all collapsed in a heap after fifteen steps. A red floating sphere was what they last saw before passing out completely. But they digidestined stood back on their feet again just as quickly, staring Hikari and a restored Daisuke eye to eye. No one showed as much need for shock as they did for delight.

"What a sensation," Patamon said, referring to the orb.

"You said it," Yamato agreed. Suddenly, Paildramon came sailing through the air, landing only mere inches away after receiving a double punch from the Doomsday Duo. De-digivolving back into Veemon, he also rejoined the others. It was at that same moment Salamon's Digi-Core stopped glowing long enough to return to her collar and let everybody kiss and make up.

"Is everything what they said true?" Daisuke asked, referring to Hikari and Salamon, "Are you all really sorry?"

"You know it, pal," Iori answered, "Our fight with the Doomsday Duo changes everything." The others nodded in agreement.

"Sorry for hurting me, too?" Veemon asked.

"Yep!" Agumon replied, "As sorry as we'll ever be!"

"In that case, me and Daisuke are on you're side again!"

"And if anyone of us is lying, we hope we drop," Taichi concluded, giving his old goggles back to Daisuke.

"We can easily arrange that," Armageddemon commented as she and her reptilian partner-in-crime faced the digidestined once more, "I'm amazed my round left not a scratch on you losers upon the entity's elimination."

"Yeah, we thought the same thing," Salamon retorted, "Except for the 'loser' part, that is."

"I sense something wrong with this picture," Megidramon said, "How can you two be standing alongside those who mistreated you so? Don't you even remember what they said about you earlier?"

"You contradicted yer own pal," Daisuke responded, "Yes, we heard. They said they were sorry." All at once, the Doomsday Duo just lost it. Out came the same finishing blow they used against the majority, the same magnitude and flash permeating throughout the landscape a second time. However, Salamon wouldn't let the malicious pair succeed by pointing her collar their way and unleashing the Digi-Core again. Sad to say, the Doomsday Duo learned the hard way just what kind of horrendous mistake they made by challenging Hikari's partner.

"Back off!" the puppy Digimon demanded. Her glow met that of the Doomsday Duo head on, swatting them back farther away onto the ground. The digidestined sans Hikari, Daisuke, and Veemon smiled nervously; said three instead looked thoughtful.

"Hoo!" Mimi declared, "Remind me never to get on your bad side!"

"What're we all waiting for?" Hikari said, "Salamon can't do this alone, so let's help out." The others snapped out of their trance in response, joined hands together in a horizontal line, and concentrated. Their contributed life energy made the Digi-Core pulse even brighter. Each Digimon stood in front of his or her respective partner readily awaiting a power boost. It was now the Doomsday Duo's turn for shock at such a prestigious sight, as they stood back on their haunches.

"That power reeks of the Destiny Stones!" Megidramon exclaimed.

"Funny you should mention that," Salamon replied, "Because Zhuqiaomon's gift to me is like a homing beacon to those stones. I can access their power anyplace provided I have the help I got right now. And it can't be destroyed when harnessed by a good heart." The Doomsday Duo was all but shocked.

"We don't need them anymore," Armageddemon assured, "Even then, the Panel can only absorb someone once every three millennia." Feeling that which first came upon becoming digidestined at the In-Training level, the Digimon immediately ran towards the Doomsday Duo. Evil would get a taste of the Destiny Stones' power one way or another.

"Agumon, warp-digivolve to…WarGreymon!"

"Gabumon, warp-digivolve to…MetalGarurumon!"

"Biyomon, warp-digivolve to…Hououmon!"

"Tentomon, warp-digivolve to…HerculesKabuterimon!"

"Palmon, warp-digivolve to…Rosemon!"

"Gomamon, warp-digivolve to…Plesiomon!"

"Patamon, warp-digivolve to…Seraphimon!"

"Salamon, warp-digivolve to…Ophanimon!"

"Veemon, warp-digivolve to…Imperialdramon!"

"Hawkmon, warp-digivolve to…Valkyrimon!"

"Armadillomon, warp-digivolve to…Vikemon!"

"Wormmon, warp-digivolve to…GranKuwagamon!"

What a sight to behold! Neither the Doomsday Duo nor the kids knew what to make of this circumstance. Alongside a humanoid carnosaur, a cybernetic wolf, and a black dragon with orange wings stood seven updates: two heavily armored angels, a plesiosaur, a Viking-themed walrus, a four-winged bird with majestic tail feathers, two insectoids bearing large pincers, and advanced versions of Silphymon and Lillymon. Naturally, each child had some commentary to throw out. "Hououmon is so bright, she may as well be the sun's replacement!" Sora declared, "I never thought Biyomon would reach the Mega level one day."

"You're too kind, Sora," Hououmon answered, "You're too kind."

"All Digimon can go the distance when the moment's right," Vikemon added.

"I hear ya!" Miyako said, "Valkyrimon's something else!"

"Rosemon sure is pretty," Mimi chimed.

"Plesiomon," Jyou noted, "Mammal to reptile, eh?"

"Maybe it should've been Vikemon," Iori suggested, "But who's complaining?"

"HerculesKabuterimon," Koushiro said, "I like the sound of that! Though, I'm not sure I'll have enough time to look 'em all up."

"Did you notice?" Ken finished, "He and GranKuwagamon would make excellent sparring partners."

"No matter," Armageddemon spoke, "We'll still take you out! Mega Flare!"

"Metal Wolf Snout!" At the motivation of MetalGarurumon's counterattack, a fight of 'Mega' proportions unreservedly broke out. Megidramon tried his hand at encountering him, WarGreymon, Plesiomon, Ophanimon, Rosemon, and Vikemon. Of course, this left Armageddemon no other choice than contending with the other half. The digidestined now gained the upper hand with this assembly.

"Terra Force!" A big orange ball of energy landed on Megidramon's head, but he refused to admit any pain.

"Megid Flame!"

"You wanted our powers, you got it!" Ophanimon retorted, "Eden's Javelin!"

"Arctic Blizzard!"

"Sad Water Blast!" A hybrid stream of water, icicles, and lightning dispersed the evil flames into steam before the red dragon got a face full of the stuff.

"You're getting on my nerves! Dragon Howling!"

"You got on ours first! Giga Missile!"

"Roses Rapier!" A projectile accompanied by a sharp point made the sound waves disappear before everyone's eyes. As the tides had turned against the Doomsday Duo, Armageddemon certainly fared no better herself.

"Bone Duster!"

"Lightning Arrow!"

"X-Scissor Claw!"

"Giga Scissor Claw!" The minute Valkyrimon's fire pillar countered the orange flicker, that's when GranKuwagamon and HerculesKabuterimon thought it an excellent idea to tag-team and slash the arthropod.

"Ouch! Full Scale Attack!"

"Seven Heavens!" Seraphimon conjured up energy orbs to counteract the missiles.

Following this, Hououmon's wings leaked a golden powder. "Starlight Explosion!"

After suffering a higher share of damage, the Doomsday Duo finally decided to pullout all the stops. As land and sky rumbled a third time around, the Digimon regrouped into the same horizontal position as before for their own finishing move. "Everyone, give me your powers!" WarGreymon requested.

"Me too!" Imperialdramon chimed. Boasting the same astonishing glow as their human partners, the other Digimon charged their reptilian leaders up like never before. Being on the egotistical side, Armageddemon and Megidramon mistakenly thought they could withstand it.

"Mega Claw!"

"Mega Crusher!"

"AUUGGGHH!" the Doomsday Duo cried. Imperialdramon and WarGreymon's best attacks broke through the evil barrier as if it were no more consequence than throwing rocks at a window. When all three elucidations faded, the digidestined broke their formation long enough to watch the Doomsday Duo collapse. Megidramon's wings were now more shrouded, and his armor bore countless breaks and cracks. Armageddemon had a chipped stinger and horn, though her pride hurt just as badly if not worse.

"What'd you said before?" GranKuwagamon refuted, "Something about past enemies not comparing to you hotshots when you couldn't whip our Ultimate forms too soon? Us being losers or such? I know 'cause you were that loud."

But neither Mega ran out of ideas just yet. "Ugh," Armageddemon grunted, "You've beaten us. But this'll be no easy victory for you. We prepared for an event like this the minute we first sealed a piece of ourselves within a certain talisman earlier tonight."

"What're you jabbering about?" Plesiomon asked.

Megidramon disclosed the Revelation Panel from his waist armor and tossed it into the space between which he and Armageddemon faced the digidestined. "When we die, the Revelation Panel will work its way to the Digital World's deepest interiors. You know what they say: That's the way the cookie crumbles. Uhhh…."

As the Doomsday Duo died off, their threat came to pass. The Revelation Panel glowed the same yellow color before it melted a hole in the ground and continued on down. The kids clumped together and stared straight down at pitch darkness. "That can't be good," Takeru commented. The younger blond boy's cryptic statement heralded a new reverberation similar to what the evil Megas caused before, except for its global influence.

"What in the world?" Mimi said. Lightning struck from both the sky and the hole. The former abruptly cracked alongside the ground. Lava fountains sprang up everywhere, and violent winds tossed matter about. Digimon around various parts of the digi-globe roared, growled, howled, ran around, and whined furiously. After a minute or so, the digidestined finally found themselves on a ledge created by the cataclysm.

"We must stop this!" Ophanimon cried.

"Yeah, but how?" Miyako cried.

In response, something instantaneously sprang into Koushiro's mind. "Of course! This is what Magnadramon meant!"

"What?" HerculesKabuterimon asked.

"She said that one of us and our partner Digimon must sacrifice ourselves in order to stop the Revelation Panel. I think that means we hafta take a leap off this ledge."

"Then it looks like I'm the one to do it," Taichi said.

"No." All eyes quickly turned on Daisuke, disbelieving. He motioned to himself and Imperialdramon. "Sorry to spoil your fun, but it's gotta be us."

"Come on," Mimi protested, "Don't tell me you're still upset after all that's just happened."

"There you go bringing that up again. No, this has nothing to do with our past conflicts." Daisuke glanced to the left, right, and up towards the sky before sighing and continuing his speech. "The Doomsday Duo aren't the only ones who got a telepathic link to the Revelation Panel. It absorbed Imperialdramon and me; therefore, we're the only ones who can fix everything. If any of you try sacrificing your lives, it'll be in vain."

The others choked up at these words, unable to reverse much of tonight's series of incidents. It was too great a melancholy, the fact that they'd lost a pair of friends the same evening after making up quarrel. "That's too bad," Iori said.

"Seraphimon, before we leave, I just wanted to say sorry for calling you King Arthur a while back," Imperialdramon apologized, "And for losing ourselves. Actually, I think you're way better at handling Excalibur than some fictitious king."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," was the response.

"If only it absorbed us," Hikari stammered, referring to herself and Ophanimon.

"Not on my watch," Daisuke answered, placing his goggles down over his eyes, "And when all of you get back to the Real World, tell my parents and Jun…that no matter how much they ignored me…I'll always love 'em."

"Wait, what're you saying?" Sora questioned, "Surely your family will miss you."

"No, they won't. I only seem to annoy my family. Mom and Dad don't even care I'm around. And furthermore, let's just say I still don't see eye to eye with Jun. Our spat's become worse now that she's dating Yamato; she always rubs it in my face."

"Hmmm," Yamato recalled, "Now that I think about it, she did say you weren't cute at all and practically disowned you the time she got mine and Takeru's autographs."

"And what your parents said on our one sleepover..." Ken added. With nothing to lose, Daisuke and Imperialdramon zoomed off the ledge and straight down to where the Revelation Panel got lodged. Everyone else gawked in horror before one decisive explosion ended it all.


	7. Depression Part 7

Analogous to a rewound cassette tape, the apocalyptic damage reversed itself right away. The lightning and wind stopped; the lava calmed; and the cracks reconnected with other pieces of the sky and land. Daisuke and Imperialdramon's life forfeiture enabled all except their friends to calm down and rejoice. In place of the two sacrificial comrades lay none other than the Revelation Panel. After the other Megas de-digivolved, Hikari picked up the Panel for a second for all to stare at it in grief. "The pain we drove them through forced them to go so early," Hawkmon commented.

"Ooh, what I wouldn't do to give that stupid expansion card some pain of my own!" Miyako retorted. But the spectacled girl abruptly lost her anger, as it wouldn't bring back the unfortunate pair.

"Well, standing around like idiots won't help," Jyou said, "Looks like we better get home now. From the looks of things, it's probably well past midnight."

"How about the Revelation Panel?" Taichi asked, "We can't bring it home with us or leave it lying around."

"Give it to us," Agumon suggested, "Then we'll hand it over to Gennai for safekeeping."

"A moment of silence first," Hikari spoke. All closed their eyes and bowed heads respectfully for fallen teammates. Still feeling the most pain out of them all – once hated, ashamed, and dumb – the girl in question let out another tear which happened to hit the relic. When the mourning ended, she handed it over to her brother's saurian partner. But then Armadillomon noticed something strange about the Panel.

"Hey, look! I saw a firefly hop out!" As all faces darted at the same target, the Revelaton Panel furiously released more yellow particles. Agumon tossed it aside; as the particles spewed out like a fountain, they came together as whom else but the supposedly deceased friends. Unanimously overjoyed, the others bombarded Daisuke and Veemon with rapid-fire hugs.

"Daisuke!" Sora exclaimed, "Veemon! We can't believe you guys are really alive!" The group then noticed how badly their joyful charades began choking the pair, so they immediately let go.

"Sorry, you two," Koushiro said, "They must've been alive this whole time, just trapped on this talisman. Now that's what I call one prodigious miracle!"

"Are we really alive?" Veemon wondered.

"I guess so," Daisuke said, "Otherwise, our eyes would be closed."

"No secret," Ken commented, "Nothing can keep you down."

Daisuke's smile lasted three seconds before it quickly faltered. "But you know, even now we're off to a rough start. What I suffered these past few months nearly destroyed us all. If we're really friends, what's to prevent it from happening again?"

"Yeah, I don't wanna fight my own friends," Wormmon agreed. Now the digidestined now had something far worse than Devimon to shudder about. Even with the Doomsday Duo's unwilling departure, new villains were popping up all the time. Fortunately, Mimi's next suggestion alleviated the shared stress.

"I know! I'm spending the summer with my grandparents. Their house has plenty of room for a sleepover, if anyone can attend."

"That's a fabulous idea!" Miyako complimented, and she put a hand on Daisuke's shoulder, "I agree that this would be the perfect restart for us all. Whaddaya say, Daisuke?"

"You bet! What time should I show up?"

"This Friday at 4:00 PM," Mimi answered, "I'll give you all instructions to my grandparents' house."

"That's good," Yamato said, yawning along with everyone else, "But in the meantime, we better head on home. We've missed a good number of winks."

"Um, Daisuke?" Iori spoke, "If you don't mind me acting my age?"

"Yeah, what is it?" In response, the youngest human member clung to Taichi's protégé with a pained face. Daisuke returned the hug.

"Please don't go anywhere again. A few minutes is too long."

"Think nothing of it, adorable."

"Awwww," the others chorused before the two broke away.

"If you don't mind, we'd like to stay here in the Digital World and have a get-together of our own," Gabumon said, picking up the Revelation Panel, "And don't worry about this old thing."

"Yeah, we'll get it to Gennai before you can say 'onomatopoeia'!" Patamon added.

"Did he say 'onomatopoeia'?" Daisuke joked, joining in the laughter.

"Allow me, children," came Magnadramon's voice. All beheld the dragon, now about an eighth of Azulongmon's size, who took the talisman for herself. "Well done."

"Magnadramon," Koushiro stated, "So the Doomsday Duo did shrink you somehow."

"Nope. The rupture I detected was due to your social dilemmas. But now that the hypocrisy is diminished, along with removing the evil ones, I am restored once more. Best of wishes, young warriors." The group smiled at her departing form, and the evening's remainder was history.

Come Monday morning, Hikari stepped out of her home to embraced the convivial sunlight. "I'm going out for a walk," she called back.

"Okay, see you 'round!" Taichi replied. The Yagami siblings and their friends had slept for nearly two days straight. Such would explain why this weather astoundingly struck them deadly, reeling from the entity's nasty storm. The brunette and her brother needed a parental reminder that Mimi's slumber party wasn't for four more days after waking up in her own bed and reading 10:00 AM on her clock. Within a half-hour stroll, Hikari's feet led her to a marketplace downtown. A peaceful Daisuke stood by browsing stalls until her welcome presence alerted him.

"Room for one more?" she asked.

"Oh!" Daisuke realized, "Hikari…hello."

"Hello. How's life treating you?"

"Better…than expected. My family…stopped ignoring me…um…"

Hikari just smiled. "Tongue-tied, huh?"

Daisuke looked around before answering. "Follow me outside the street." So began something of a chase that Hikari actually found amusing. Both managed keeping track of one another despite the crowds and crazy directions until both realized they were nearing the beach. So a mischievous Hikari decided she'd take an alternate route, something which Daisuke mistook for otherwise once he reached the water and looked back. Worry dominated his face. "Uh oh. I hope she didn't get lost." The boy faced toward the ocean in preparation to tell the girl his feelings whenever they reunited. "Alright…how does this go again? …'Hikari, guess we both got nothing more to hide'." Hikari just then appeared on the scene planning to surprise Daisuke but instead listened to his words. "'Fact is, I was crazy about you the day I first saw your face. I saved you despite my frustration because…I still love you?' Acck. That must sound corny no matter how truthful I'm being."

"Not at all."

Surprise became shock when Daisuke faced Hikari. "Hikari? Were you listening?"

The girl pulled him close. "Took you long enough."

"Yeah, I..." Hikari planted a kiss on Daisuke's mouth before he could finish. Words had no place in describing how deep the next digidestined couple conveyed their feelings (the first couple being Yamato and Jun, even if only one was a digidestined).

Then they pulled away. "That was a fun game of tag." Daisuke brainlessly followed Hikari along the shoreline.

"My family never saw us fight the Doomsday Duo, but they claimed that a small voice inside their heads told them how much they alienated me and promised that things are gonna change from now on." Daisuke whispered the next bit. "Jun said I may not be a loser, but she'll always think of me as a squirt." Medium laughter broke out amongst the two, followed by a silence that Hikari promptly broke.

"Why did they alienate you all over again?"

"My parents were right in guessing Jun had a lot to talk about seeing how she has Yamato. I didn't seem to matter anymore."

"He must be the same. Now we got a lot to talk about, wouldn't you say?"

Daisuke thought it over and came to a conclusion. "Indeed we do." With a sweet face like Hikari's, how could he disagree? Things were happening so fast for these young people.

The End


	8. Just Us

Once more, both the Real and Digital Worlds rested easy after Japan's digidestined eliminated a common threat. Recently, a pair of Mega-level Digimon labeled the Doomsday Duo seized hold of some talisman known as the Revelation Panel and nearly destroyed everything. To add on to everyone's troubles, Daisuke and Veemon's drift from both family and friends escalated to utter seclusion after the former overheard the others talking behind his back. Everybody made up quarrel in the end, of course, discovering a new dilemma at the same time: What could keep history from repeating itself? That's when Mimi Tachikawa, the original Bearer of Sincerity, suggested a weekend sleepover at her grandparents' house. The others simply ate that idea up, no further question. And if Daisuke's life didn't take a big enough turn for the better, Hikari immediately found herself almost dating him days later. Metaphorically speaking, the two joined Yamato and Jun on the 'freeway of love' before Odaiba's very eyes.

Any professional driver knows what kind of wild road a freeway is. And like rivers, roads never sleep. With only one day remaining before the sleepover, Japan's own freeway of love would clandestinely further its branching behaviors on the digidestined today. At the Kido residence, Jyou and Ken whittled away their free time by building card houses. "Just one more," Ken stated. Unfortunately, a sudden knock on the door eradicated all hopes of adding that final card. Due to that motion, Ken's hand slipped and effortlessly collapsed the structure. "Darn it."

"That's okay, Ken. We can always build another one later on." Jyou reached the door first after cleaning up the card mess, with Ken coming in behind. Upon rotating the knob, neither boy showed surprise for their visitors; who else should visit but Mimi and Miyako. "Hello, girls."

"Hey, boys," Miyako greeted back, "Whatcha doin'?"

"We were building card houses until you knocked," Ken answered, "You also knocked 'em down."

"Heh, we have that effect on others," Mimi timidly spoke, knowing what he referred to, "So, how long have you two been indoors?"

"Ken came over for a card game at 8:13," Jyou explained, "It's 10:24 right now, so we've been inside a bit longer than two hours."

The girls whistled in awe. "Then it's a good thing we showed up," Miyako declared, "You guys really gotta get outside. Follow us." Abruptly ending the chat, the spectacled girl took Ken's hand and pulled him along. Mimi did the same with Jyou as well as shutting the door for him.

"Where exactly are you taking us?" Ken asked.

"You'll see," Mimi answered.

Still, even though romance was close by, it would take more time to actually blossom. At the mall, nothing the quartet did suggested anything greater than simple, friendly communion. With their hands full of toys, mainly those meant for kids ages 9 and below, it seemed Miyako and Mimi did most of the navigation. The boys certainly became curious but conversed within themselves while waiting outside for the girls to finish inspecting another shop. "What do you suppose all this is for?" Ken whispered.

"That's a good question," Jyou whispered back, "Maybe it's some kid's birthday."

"Iori's, perhaps?"

"He's young, but I'm not so sure he'd be crazy fer these toys. Besides that, I can never keep track of his birthday. Mimi's an only child, so maybe they're for Miyako's siblings."

"All of these toys? Ones for both boys and girls?"

"I believe they're much older. Or..."

"What's that?" Mimi asked as she and Miyako stepped out of another store.

Fearing rudeness, the boys immediately snapped out of it. "Uh, nothing," Ken said, "We were just talking about… well, nonsense."

"Whatever you say," Miyako said, "We're not straining you guys, are we? Yer not about to collapse from exhaustion, are ya?"

"Nah, we've been through worse," Jyou said, "Besides, I needed the exercise." Ken nodded in agreement.

"Well, we are," Mimi stated, "Let's all rest on that bench over there." The quartet sat down on a bench conveniently located approximately only seventeen footsteps away. With the girls' next motion, one might think they never got enough sleep the night before. Either that, or maybe fatigue from the Doomsday Duo's termination yet lingered.

"Maybe we can even grab… a few winks," Miyako yawned, and she and Mimi passed out respectively on Ken and Jyou's shoulders. The boys could only blush at the sight; fortunately, nobody else felt like abashing them about it.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Ken asked.

"Yep."

"Be mine," Mimi said in her sleep, "Please be mine."

"Don't leave me here," Miyako said, "I can't survive without you."

"I never heard them talk in their sleep before," Ken commented.

"Oh, it happens to many people," Jyou explained. At that very moment, he and Ken couldn't help expressing themselves publicly, though without spoken words. Looking back on the Dark Masters' reign, Jyou actually felt glad he and Mimi got time to themselves despite Palmon and Gomamon's presence. Even though the detrimental team split long following Scorpiomon's blunder never really proved anything, the spectacled boy verified his feelings for the older girl since the beginning.

Ken on the other hand remained almost oblivious to Miyako's charms up until now. The day she, Daisuke, Takeru, Iori, and Hikari at long last discovered his ghastly secret, the former Digimon Emperor could hear her voice all the way from Nagasaki, so to speak. However, Ken himself didn't quite feel anything until the spectacled girl emailed him an apology after Stingmon and Aquilamon put the faulty Golemon in its place. Now those slim feelings grew stronger with each passing second.

But did Mimi and Miyako feel the same way or what? Jyou and Ken would learn eventually; the girls stirred and woke up half an hour later. They recoiled at the sight whose shoulders they lay upon. "I'm sorry, Jyou," Mimi apologized, "I didn't mean to squish your shoulder."

"I'm sorry too, Ken," Miyako added.

"We don't mind," Jyou said.

"You don't?" Mimi asked.

"Of course not," Ken said, "You weren't hurting us."

"Do I feel refreshed!" Miyako declared once they stood up. All looked down instantly at the sound of grumbling. "And famished, too."

"You're not the only one," Ken said, "Where we gonna eat?"

"**I** know of an excellent restaurant," Mimi suggested, "It's just on the other side of the mall. C'mon."

Entering in at the suggested place, an assistant willingly guarded their load for a small fee. As soon the kids' individual meals were served, all started gobbling like pigs at a trough. All thoughts relayed towards nothing but satisfying hunger and thirst. That is, until Miyako stopped the others long enough to remind them of something important. "Wait a second!"

"What's wrong, Miyako?" Jyou asked.

"I come from a large family. Where're our manners?" Jyou, Mimi, and Ken realized this and ate at a slower pace, alongside also sticking out pinkies. "That's better."

Come the end of lunch, upon taking back their commodities, Ken verbalized his curiosity before Jyou. In turn, this caused a simpler reaction from Miyako and Mimi than anyone would've guessed. "This must be some birthday party we're going to. Quadruplets, I take it?"

"Nope," Mimi explained, "Sorry, we should've told you earlier. We're making donations to unfortunate kids and needed you guys' help."

"That sounds pleasant," Jyou said, "Not to be rude, but why us?"

"Glad you asked," Miyako added, "Let's face it: Guys like you are too rare these days. You're the only ones who understand us."

"What about Sora and Hikari?" Ken suggested.

Another good question, indeed; why not invite the other two girls along instead? But as Mimi's next words confirmed, today came the moment Jyou and Ken had endlessly waited for. "We couldn't wait to bring it up," Mimi said, blushing, "Jyou, I've got another confession: I have a thing for you. How else can I explain this tingly feeling I get whenever you and I are close together?"

"Looks like I'm in no position to hide it myself," Miyako added, also blushing, "Ken, I feel the same way about you, but I guess you've probably figured that out by now. See, we also invited you two along because we wanted some time alone with you. Aside from other shoppers."

Ken and Jyou quickly glanced at each other, hardly comprehending what they just heard. Come tomorrow, who'd need Truth Or Dare or any similar game? Then again, the sleepover's real purpose was merely bringing kids together as true friends, not necessarily playing matchmaker. Either that or maybe the fact that Miyako and Mimi couldn't stand it anymore is what brought another pair of young couples together that Thursday. "Well, looks like it worked," Jyou announced.

"Really?" Mimi wondered, "Yer not just saying that?"

"That's right," Ken put in, "I could care less what others say; this was the perfect manner and time. You know, Miyako, your voice from that one soccer game was…well, really loud."

"Eh, I just let it all hang out," Miyako shrugged, "We figured we couldn't just let Daisuke, Jun, Hikari, and Yamato walk all over us."

"Of course not," Jyou said, "C'mon, let's go deliver these toys." No further questions asked, Mimi and Miyako respectively took Jyou and Ken's hands despite the heavy baggage. The quartet promptly departed from the mall with full hearts.

The End


	9. So Sorry

Five love blossoms involving digidestined now existed in Odaiba. It took junk as well as support from television to finally hook Jun Motomiya up with Yamato Ishida. Approximately two months later, her brother Daisuke went through emotional turmoil before he and Hikari Yagami became an item themselves, alongside making up with the other digidestined. And only a few days after that, both in the same day, Jyou Kido and Ken Ichijouji respectively became boyfriends to Mimi Tachikawa and Miyako Inoue. But as if that hadn't been enough, as one month slipped into the next following the friendship sleepover Mimi thought up after vanquishing the Doomsday Duo and safeguarding the Revelation Panel, Takeru left Japan for yet another visit to his grandfather's house. Upon returning home, everybody was glad to hear that he and Catherine, the girl with Floramon whom he (and Taichi) kissed during the world tour, finally became a couple. If anything, Takeru knew such had taken too long. But once more, a sixth couple would soon join the stampede this month.

Taichi Yagami walked through the park, a glum look on his face. Nothing considered mischievous happened since Takeru returned home two weeks ago, just the usual acquaintances. Though, he couldn't help envying his sister and a certain other seven when they announced their romantic passion for each other. Across one street, Yamato and Jun shared a meal at a nearby fast-food joint. Underneath a tree not far off, Daisuke and Hikari made with a conversation about nothing in particular and even laughed some. Ken had playfully taken away Miyako's hat, allowing her to chase him around in another section of the park. Jyou and Mimi watched them while sipping tea. Plus, to add on to the scene, Catherine had come down this week and currently helped Takeru tend plants for a community service.

"Well, at least they're happy," Taichi muttered. Despite the pleasant sights, nothing could snap the older leader out of his own depression. His thoughts just kept returning to a past conflict with the one he so truly loved: Sora Takenouchi. He put a hand on his forehead in remembered embarrassment. "I can't believe this whole thing started over a stupid accessory. Except fer business, she probably doesn't care that I exist."

_Flashback _

Taichi remembered the phone argument he and Sora had over a simple birthday gift. The hair clip he'd given her flung the girl into a rage. In fact, Sora was so mad, she didn't even lend a helping hand during Diaboromon's first uprising. "Don't you like my hat?"

"Well, you know, I just thought you could use something new for once."

"Oh, so you don't like it."

"No, that's not what I mean. I'm just saying..."

"Ugh." She hung up, leaving Taichi stupefied.

The two eventually reconciled with Sora wearing the clip, but things got no better months even when Daisuke, Veemon, Miyako, Hawkmon, Iori, and Armadillomon joined the ranks. The past Christmas convinced Taichi that Sora wasn't the one for him, something which occurred right before another of Yamato's concerts. It's true he'd presently been dating Jun, but rumors suggesting otherwise sprung up before then. How else could anyone explain how much he and the Bearer of Love ostensibly clung to each other? After the Diaboromon incident, Sora and Taichi just didn't seem to do much anymore. She had some cookies to deliver Yamato's way to which Taichi wished her well, but that was it.

_End Flashback _

And if not Yamato, Taichi naturally assumed Sora would rather be with someone else instead of him. From the birthday incident until now, the Bearer of Courage wondered how exactly he and the object of his affections still remained emotionally intact. That is to say, except for family ordeals. "But I guess it no longer matters." Taichi sat down on a bench, continuing to sulk quietly. "And to think Daisuke couldn't catch a break."

"Who're you talking to, Taichi?" a familiar voice asked. Looking up, he found a familiar individual join him on the bench. Discovering Sora's abrupt presence ever sad, Taichi slightly wondered if she'd listened the whole time.

"Oh, hey, Sora."

"Hi. So, what's wrong?"

"Just some bad memories, that's all."

"With you and me?"

"How'dja know?"

"I've been feeling the same way today."

Taichi sighed deeply, before he gave another one of the strongest speeches of his life. "Guess I can't hide it anymore. Y'see, ever since the beginning, I… well, liked you more than a friend. The day I first gazed into yer eyes, my world just stopped spinning. You know?"

"Yes, do continue."

"Now, I'm not trying to take advantage of our friendship just because you and Yamato broke up. But since you feel the way you do…"

"Who said I ever liked Yamato or anybody else that way?" Sora spoke, picking up from where the brown-haired boy left off.

"You both spent a lot of time together. And even though yer no longer an item, it's pretty obvious you'd want nothing to do with me."

The redhead smiled and playfully rolled her eyes at the same time. With one melancholy in their group replaced by another, no dutiful trip to the Digital World would be necessary. No doubt about it, Sora intended on making sure she and Taichi quit dwelling upon past conflicts. "Okay, let's address it one step at a time. First, I don't know what you saw or heard, but Yamato and I never had that kind of relationship to start."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Second, I'm not seeing anybody else." Sora leaned in closer and spoke lower. "I love you too, Taichi. I always have and always will."

"I…I don't know what to say," Taichi stuttered, a lump in his throat. In response, Sora softly pulled him up close and planted a kiss on his mouth. Taichi only stared in confusion only to return the favor. With a sixth digidestined-involved couple formed without question that year, the two young people had finally made up quarrel and became lovers all in the same hour. The rest of the day was history.

The End


End file.
